Sensex up 23pts, HDFC Bk zooms 6%

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 33 points at 8,504, and zoomed to a high of 8,570 in morning deals. Profit-taking at higher levels saw the index drop to an intra-day low of 8,417 - an intra-day swing of 153 points. The Sensex finally closed with a gain of 23 points at 8,494.

Sectoral indices finished on a mixed note. The BSE Bankex zoomed 2.5% (113 points) to 4,724. The BSE Healthcare Index was up 0.6% (18 points) at 2,915. The BSE PSU Index was up 12 points at 4,924. The BSE Oil & Gas Index was up six points at 3,982.

The BSE FMCG Index dropped over a per cent (17 points) to 1,471. The BSE Capital Goods Index declined 0.84% (42 points) to 4,960. The BSE Metal Index was down 0.51% (31 points) to 6,044. The BSE Teck, Auto and Consumer Durables indices also declined.

Advances continued to be ahead of declines - out of 2,520 scrips traded, 1,330 advanced, 1,130 declined and 60 were unchanged today.

HDFC Bank zoomed 6.6% (Rs 42) to Rs 677. HDFC gained 3% (Rs 29) to Rs 1,079. ICICI Bank was up Rs 12 at Rs 527.

SBI advanced Rs 11 to Rs 882. ONGC added Rs 11 to Rs 991. Reliance was up Rs 2 at  Rs 798. HLL, however, declined Rs 2 to Rs 170.

TCS moved up Rs 25 to Rs 1,509. Infosys dropped Rs 30 to Rs 2,651.

Ranbaxy was firm right through the session, and closed with a gain of Rs 11 at Rs 393. Cipla and Dr. Reddy's also finished with gains.

Bajaj Auto was up Rs 7 at Rs 1,879. Bharti moved up Rs 4 to Rs 356. Tata Power was up a rupee at rs 440.

BHEL dropped nearly 3% (Rs 39) to Rs 1,256. Hero Honda declined 2.8% (Rs 23) to Rs 786.

L&T was down Rs 25 at Rs 1,551. Tata Steel slipped Rs 5 to Rs 365. Maruti, ACC and ITC also declined today.

Nicholas Piramal gained over 6% (Rs 16) to Rs 272. GTL was also up over 6% at Rs 113. VSNL added over 5% (Rs 17) to Rs 329.

Britannia declined 4% (Rs 50) to Rs 1,210. Suzlon dropped 3% (Rs 23) to Rs 752.

Reliance Capital was the most active counter with a turover of Rs 146 crore followed by SBI (Rs 128 crore), Reliance (Rs 103 crore), Titan (Rs 68 crore) and Suzlon (Rs 67 crore).