Sensex up 147pts; Reliance, ITC gain 2%

The Sensex is now up 147 points at 17,496.

The NSE Nifty is up 47 points at 5,158.

Maruti has rallied nearly 4% to Rs 797. Wipro has soared nearly 3% to Rs 435.

Reliance Energy has surged 2.7% to Rs 1,598, and Ranbaxy has gained 2.5% at Rs 420.

Reliance, ACC and ITC have advanced over 2% each to Rs 2,484, Rs 792 and Rs 205, respectively.

Infosys and Satyam have moved up nearly 2% each to Rs 1,610 and Rs 447, respectively.

ONGC and Grasim have added 1.7% each to Rs 1,015 and Rs 2,840, respectively.

DLF has advanced 1.5% to Rs 841, and NTPC has added 1.3% to Rs 201.

Ambuja Cements and Larsen & Toubro are up 1% each at Rs 119 and Rs 3,466, respectively.

HDFC Bank has plunged 4.6% to Rs 1,407, and Bajaj Auto has tumbled over 4% to Rs 2,201.

Mahindra & Mahindra has slipped 1.6% to Rs 619.

Out of 2,673 stocks traded so far, 1,710 have declined, 902 have advanced and 61 are unchanged.