Sensex up 116pts; Cipla, HUL surge 3%

The Sensex is now up 116 points, at 14,780.

SBI, Cipla and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) have rallied nearly 3% each to Rs 1,574, Rs 216 and Rs 194, respectively.

Grasim and Larsen & Toubro have surged over 2% each to Rs 2,679 and Rs 2,285, respectively.

Tata Steel has moved up 1.7% to Rs 604. ICICI Bank, Maruti and Reliance Communications have advanced around 1.5% each to Rs 966, Rs 783 and Rs 537, respectively.

ITC, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel and Reliance are up over 1% each.

HDFC has dropped 2% to Rs 1,990, and Reliance Energy has slipped 1% to Rs 618.

Out of 2,565 stocks traded so far, 1,474 have advanced, 1,015 have declined and 76 are unchanged.