Sensex gains 67 pts, Bharti flares up 5%

After tumbling over 100 points yesterday, the Sensex today opened on a strong note at 7,172 - up 27 points over its previous close. Stocks rallied sharply in early trades, and the Sensex surged past the 7,200-mark to touch an intra-day high of 7,240.

Emergence of profit-taking trimmed the gains of the index to a low of 7,158 towards early noon trades. Recovery led by select heavyweights, banking and tech stocks since mid-noon trades saw the Sensex bounce back from its lows and finally end the session above the 7,200 levels at 7,212 - up 67 points.

The Nifty gained 17 points to close at 2,196.

Reliance Industries moved up 1.10% (Rs 7) to Rs 621. ITC scaled up 1.46% (Rs 24) to Rs 1,704. While ONGC lost a per cnet (Rs 10) to Rs 920, HLL ended a tad lower at Rs 158.

Wipro moved up 1.71% (Rs 12) to Rs 722, while Infosys gained a per cent (Rs 15) to Rs 2,333. TCS at Rs 1,312 (up Rs 3) and Satyam at Rs 496 (up Rs 5) ended with steady gains.

HDFC Bank moved up 1.72% (Rs 11) to Rs 651, and ICICI Bank was up a per cent (Rs 2) at Rs 424. SBI, too, closed with a per cent gain (Rs 7) at Rs 718.

Bharti shot up 5% (Rs 12) to Rs 254. L&T advanced 1.93% (Rs 23) to Rs 1,223, while HDFC clocked a per cent gain (Rs 10) to Rs 913. Tisco jumped 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 361.

Ranbaxy ended with a per cent gain (Rs 8) at Rs 1,057. Cipla was up 1.10% (Rs 3) at Rs 317. Dr. Reddy's, however, ended weak at Rs 768 - down Rs 3.

Hero Honda at Rs 588 (up Rs 7 or 1.14%). Bajaj lost 1.14% (Rs 15) to Rs 1,335, and Maruti was down a notch at Rs 448. Tata Motors, too, ended weak at Rs 434 - down Rs 2.