Sensex up 254pts; DLF, Satyam lead

The Sensex is now up 254 points at 15,611.

The NSE Nifty is up 75 points at 4,698.

Jaiprakash (JP) Associates and DLF have soared nearly 5% each to Rs 230 and Rs 636, respectively.

Satyam has surged 4.4% to Rs 380. Hindalco has gained 3.6% at Rs 180, and ICICI Bank has added 3.3% to Rs 866.

Larsen & Toubro has rallied nearly 3% to Rs 2,886. NTPC, Tata Motors, Infosys and Reliance Energy have moved up over 2.5% each to Rs 192, Rs 637, Rs 1,368 and Rs 1,228, respectively.

Tata Steel, ITC and Reliance have advanced 2% each to Rs 711, Rs 189 and Rs 2,285, respectively.

SBI and HDFC Bank are up nearly 2% each to Rs 1,727 and Rs 1,319, respectively.

Bharti Airtel has plunged 3.7% to Rs 750. Maruti has slipped over 2.7% to Rs 817, and Mahindra & Mahindra has shed 2.4% at Rs 645.

Ambuja Cements is down 1% at Rs 120.

Out of 2,472 stocks traded so far, 1,421 have declined, 991 have advanced and 60 are unchanged.