The Sensex is now up 177 points at 9,270. The index so far has moved in a range of 175 points - a high of 9,327 and a low of 9,152.
Realty, metal and energy stocks continue to rule firm. Auto stocks are singificantly weak, while banking stocks have pared gains.
Sterlite has soared 7.5% to Rs 254, and Jaiprakash Associates has surged 7% to Rs 60.
Reliance Communications and TCS have rallied 5.7% each to Rs 207 and Rs 589, respectively.
ONGC and Tata Steel have moved up over 4% each to Rs 725 and Rs 157, respectively.
HDFC Bank and Reliance have advanced 3.7% each to Rs 955 and Rs 1,173, respectively.
Infosys has gained 3.5% at Rs 1,284. Reliance Infrastructure and Larsen & Toubro are up around 3% each at Rs 518 and Rs 749, respectively.
Maruti has dropped 4.5% to Rs 512, and Mahindra & Mahindra has slipped 2.8% to Rs 274.
Tata Powr has shed 2.5% at Rs 652.
The market breadth is fairly positive - out of 1,777 stocks traded so far, 1,125 have advanced, 600 have declined and the rest are unchanged,
