Sensex up 19pts; NTPC surges 4%

The Sensex is now up 19 points at 18,679.

The NSE Nifty is up 22 points at 5,486.

NTPC has soared 4.5% to Rs 224. Ranbaxy has surged over 3% to Rs 385.

ONGC, HDFC and Cipla have rallied around 2.5% each to Rs 1,083, Rs 3,089 and Rs 204, respectively.

ACC, Bharti Airtel and Hindalco have advanced around 1.5% each to Rs 779, Rs 936 and Rs 181, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro, Ambuja Cements and Reliance Energy are up over 1% each at Rs 3,854, Rs 124 and Rs 2,036, respectively.

Tata Motors and Infosys have slipped over 2% each to Rs 753 and Rs 1,610, respectively.

Bajaj Auto, Hindustan Unilever and Mahindra & Mahindra have shed 1.8% each at Rs 2,414, Rs 208 and Rs 684, respectively.

Wipro, Maruti and SBI have declined 1.3% each to Rs 458, Rs 885 and Rs 2,243, respectively.

HDFC Bank and TCS are down over 1% each at Rs 1,530 and Rs 965, respectively.

Out of 2,779 stocks traded so far, 1,811 have advanced, 912 have declined and the rest are unchanged.