Sensex up 24pts; ITC surges 3%

The Sensex is now up 24 pooints at 16,346.

Mahindra & Mahindra has zoomed 4% to Rs 771, and Reliance Energy has soared 3.7% to Rs 981.

ITC has surged 3.4% to Rs 193. Larsen & Toubro has rallied 3% to Rs 2,748.

Hindalco has advanced 1.5% to Rs 162. Tata Motors and Grasim are up 1% each at Rs 731 and Rs 3,360, respectively.

Wipro has plunged 3.5% to Rs 433, and Infosys has dropped 3% to Rs 1,798. TCS and Satyam have slipped over 2% each to Rs 1,000 and Rs 421, respectively.

Maruti, Ranbaxy, Ambuja Cements and Hindustan Unilever has declined around 1.5% each to Rs 911, Rs 407, Rs 145 and Rs 214, respectively.

Out of 2,836 stocks traded so far, 1,560 have declined, 1,215 have advanced and 61 are unchanged.