Sensex up 166pts; metal, cement stocks lead

The Sensex touched a high of 12,047, and is now up 166 points at 12,018.

Hindalco has soared over 5% to Rs 224. Tata Steel has surged 2.8% to Rs 652.

Gujarat Ambuja has flared up nearly 4% to Rs 121, and Grasim has added 3.4% to Rs 2,431. ACC has moved up nearly 2% to Rs 969.

Cipla has advanced 2.6% to Rs 260. Satyam has gained 2% at Rs 764.

Out of 2,125 stocks traded so far, 1,662 have advanced, 413 have declined and the rest are unchanged.

Hindustan Zinc tops the value chart with a turnover of Rs 49.29 crore followed by Reliance Communication Ventures (Rs 28.51 crore), Sterlite (Rs 23 crore), Reliance (Rs 18.73 crore) and Tantia Cosntructions (Rs 16.89 crore).

RCF leads the volume chart with trades of around 13.41 lakh shares followed by IFCI (13.20 lakh), JP Hydro-Power (12.45 lakh), Reliance Natural Resources (11.13 lakh) and Ambuja Cement (10.43 lakh).