Sensex up 224pts; ITC, L&T up 2%

The Sensex is now up 224 points at 15,210.

SBI, ACC and NTPC have soared around 3% each to Rs 1,640, Rs 1,012 and Rs 167, respectively.

BHEL, ITC, Larsen & Toubro and Hindalco have surged over 2% each to Rs 1,738, Rs 172, Rs 2,540 and Rs 163, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors have rallied 1.8% each to Rs 688 and Rs 664, respectively.

Tata Steel, Reliance Energy, ICICI Bank, Reliance, Satyam and Reliance Communications have moved up around 1.5% each to Rs 649, Rs 764, Rs 914, Rs 1,829, Rs 473 and Rs 550, respectively.

Grasim, ONGC, Hindustan Unilever, Bajaj Auto and Maruti are up over 1% each.

Out of 2,340 stocks traded so far, 1,710 have advanced, 569 have declined and 61 are unchanged.