Sensex up 299pts; HDFC soars 6%

The Sensex is now up 299 points at 10,965.

After opening with a positive gap of 69 points at 10,735, the index has surged to a high of 11,051.

Tata Steel has zoomed 7% to Rs 549. HDFC has soared nearly 6% to Rs 1,220.

Cipla, Bajaj Auto and Larsen & Toubro are the other major gainers among the Sensex stocks.

Out of 2,398 stocks traded so far, 1,903 have advanced, 453  have declined and 42 are unchanged.