Sensex gains 48 pts at close

The Sensex opened 26 points higher at 6,429 and moved in a range bound (positive) mode in the firsthalf on selective buying support. Although profit-taking in early noon deals dragged the index to a low of 6,401, steep surge in auto and other select old economy stocks towards the closing hours saw it flare up to an intra-day high of 6,462.

The Sensex finally settled with a gain of 48 points at 6,451. The Nifty added 16 points to 2,043.

While 24 Sensex stocks advanced, six declined today. Advancing stocks accounted for a volume of 1.23 crore for Rs 654.37 crore and declining shares clocked a volume of 23 lakh amounting to Rs 95.32 crore.

The breadth of the market was positive with 1,457 gainers and 893 losers.

ITC soared 3.53% (Rs 45) to Rs 1,310. Reliance, with a volume of over 46.76 lakh on the BSE, was up a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 485. HLL, however, shed 2.40% (Rs 4) to Rs 144.

SBI added nearly 2% (Rs 11) to Rs 603. HDFC Bank at Rs 495 (up Rs 3) and ICICI Bank at Rs 365 (up Rs 2) ended with modest gains.

Bajaj shot up 3.27% (Rs 39) to Rs 1,100. While Hero Honda surged 6.80% (Rs 35) to Rs 557, Tata Motors logged 1.95% gains (Rs 10) to Rs 503. Maruti was up 1.23% (Rs 6) at Rs 460.

Tata Power moved up 3.82% (Rs 14) to Rs 387. While BHEL gained 1.53% (Rs 11) to Rs 732, Reliance Energy was up Rs 2 at Rs 525.

Bharti added 2.10% (Rs 4) to Rs 199, after witnessing weak trends in the last few trading sessions. Tisco was up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 342. L&T, however, lost a per cent (Rs 7) to Rs 975.

Grasim and Gujarat Ambuja closed up a per cent each at Rs 1,310 and Rs 395, respectively. ACC closed up a tad at Rs 319.

Pharma and tech frontliners ended with steady gains.

Auto stocks attracted strong buying support, and the BSE Auto index moved up 2.71% (up 74 pts) to close at 2,796. Munjal Auto zoomed 10.21% (Rs 11) to Rs 123. While LML mopped up 7.48% (Rs 3) to Rs 44, Hindustan Motors gained 5.59% to Rs 18. Mico advanced 4% to Rs 1,951 and TVS Motors moved up 3.90% to Rs 85.

Select counters notched up impressive gains. Alstom Project firmed up 6.66% (Rs 10) to Rs 164, and Arvind Mills moved up 6.10% (Rs 7) to Rs 120. While VSNL added 6% (Rs 13) to Rs 234, Britania gained 5.93% (Rs 50) to Rs 900.

Mardras Aluminium soared 6.18% (Rs 13) to Rs 216. Jindal Steel and Hind Zinc surged nearly 6% each to Rs 895 (up Rs 49) and Rs 137 (up Rs 7), respectively. Jisco moved up 3.82% (Rs 11) to Rs 302, and Sesa Goa jumped 2% (Rs 20) to Rs 1,006. Monnet Ispat was up 2% at Rs 168.

Select FMCG scrips, however, ended weak today. United Breweries dropped 4.93% (Rs 24) to Rs 472. While Eveready lost 2.59% to Rs 66, Nirma slipped 1.29% to Rs 351. William Tea and Mcdowell were down a per cent each at Rs 154 and Rs 138, respectively.

Himachal Futuristics topped the volume table with over 1.33 crore shares traded on the BSE, followed by Tata Tele (1.3 crore), Petronet LNG (98.29 lakh) and Essar Ship (63.28 lakh), respectively.

Reliance topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 227 crore, followed by Hero Honda (Rs 68 crore), SBI (Rs 67 crore), Tata Motors (Rs 46 crore) and Maruti (Rs 41 crore), respectively.

Scrips which touched new highs on the BSE were ABB at Rs 986, BEML at Rs 364, Chambal Fertilizers at Rs 27, Jisco at Rs 314, EID Parry at Rs 395 and Essar Oil at Rs 28, respectively.