Sensex pares gains; HLL jumps over 3%

The Sensex has pared most of its gains on account of profit taking. The index is now up 33 points at 9892.

Cipla has soared 9.5% to Rs 484 following the company's announcement that it will consider a proposal for bonus issue in its board meet on February 11. Ranbaxy is up 1.7% at Rs 391, and Dr.Reddy's is up 1% at Rs 1,190.

HLL has surged 3.2% to Rs 197. BHEL has moved up 2.4% to Rs 1,838.

Bharti Tele has spurted 1.7% to Rs 356.

Tata Steel has gained 1.4% at Rs 404. ICICI Bank has advanced over 1% to Rs 596.

Reliance Energy, Larsen & Toubro and HDFC declined over 1% each to Rs 605, Rs 2,262 and Rs 1,370, respectively.

The market breadth is slightly negative. Out of 2,332 stocks traded so far, 1,285 have declined, 972 have advanced and 75 are unchanged.

National Peroxide has hit the second consecutive 10% upper limit at Rs 8,522. Gateway Distriparks, KEC International, Todays Writing, Ashapura Minechem, Ashok Leyland, Cummins, Aurobindo Pharma, Hexware, Sterling Biotech, Moser Baer, Thermax and Asahi India have gained in the range of 3-8% each.

Indian Overseas Bank has dropped 4% to Rs 104. Apollo Tyre, Jaiprakash Associates, Polaris, Hinduja TMT, i-flex, Jindal Stainless, Punjab Tractors, Bank of India and Gillettee are on slippery ground.