Sensex up 268pts; Infosys, ITC, HDFC rally

The Sensex is now up 268 points at 18,420.

The NSE Nifty is up 98 points at 5,372.

ONGC has soared 3.7% to Rs 1,038. Infosys and Wipro have surged 3.5% each to Rs 1,497 and Rs 420, respectively.

ITC, HDFC and Grasim have rallied 3.3% each to Rs 203, Rs 2,875 and Rs 3,046, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra and DLF have advanced around 3% each to Rs 707 and Rs 918, respectively. NTPC and TCS have added 2.5% each to Rs 218 and Rs 875, respectively.

Cipla, Tata Motors, Ranbaxy and Hindustan Unilever are up around 2% each at Rs 189, Rs 730, Rs 358 and Rs 203, respectively.

Hindalco, Reliance Energy and Ambuja Cements have moved up 1.7% each to Rs 177, Rs 2,134 and Rs 117, respectively.

Reliance, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank and Reliance Communications have gained around 1.5% each at Rs 2,602, Rs 709, Rs 1,608 and Rs 655, respectively.

Bajaj Auto, however, has slipped over 1% to Rs 2,430.