Sensex up 22 pts, bank scrips shine

Although select heavyweights continue to trade with decent gains, profit-taking in other select old and new economy stocks has trimmed the gains on the index. The Sensex is now up 22 points at 6,436. The Nifty is up eight points at 2,043.

Reliance continues to exhibit firm trend and is dealt at Rs 507 - up Rs 12 or 2.44%. HLL is up a rupee at Rs 144. ITC is trading lower by Rs 6 at Rs 1,298.

SBI has notched up 1.70% gains (Rs 10) to Rs 604.

Bharti is trading firm with a gain of 2.21% (Rs 4) at Rs 208. Hindalco (up Rs 31 or 2.47% to Rs 1,331) is holding on to its gains.

HDFC has slipped a per cent (Rs 8) to Rs 760.

Infosys, Wipro and Satyam have lost a per cent each to Rs 2,064 (down Rs 19), Rs 750 (down Rs 6) and Rs 404 (down Rs 3), respectively.

Bank stocks continue to rally sharply on the back of strong buying support, and the BSE Bankex is up 1.56% (up 55 pts) at 3,564.

Syndicate Bank has flared up 15% (Rs 7) to Rs 57, and BoI has jumped 11.45% (Rs 9) to Rs 91. While Dena Bank has mopped up 11.31% gains (Rs 4) to Rs 36, UTI Bank has moved up 7.87% (Rs 14) to Rs 187. Andhra Bank at Rs 86 (up Rs 6 or 7%), Indus Ind Bank at Rs 58 (up Rs 3 or 6.37%) and Allahabad Bank at Rs 71 (up Rs 3 or 4.49%) are also trading with strong gains.

Other stocks, too, have registered gains. Essar Shipping has vaulted 12.15% to Rs 32, and Ispat Industries has soared 9.28% to Rs 18. While Balrampur Chinni has jumped 8.25% to Rs 530, NIIT has logged 6.97% gains (Rs 12) to Rs 182.