Sensex up 53pts; cement stocks firm

The Sensex is now up 53 points at 14,484.

ACC has zoomed 8.5% to Rs 900. Ambuja Cements has soared 5.7% to Rs 123, and Grasim has surged 4.4% to Rs 2,612.

HDFC has rallied 2.6% to Rs 1,914. Ranbaxy has advanced 2% to Rs 349.

Reliance Energy, SBI and NTPC are up 1% each to Rs 585, Rs 1,462 and Rs 152, respectively.

Hindalco has shed 2.7% to Rs 166. Bajaj Auto has slipped 1.7% to Rs 2,095.

Maruti has declined over 1% to Rs 742. HDFC Bank and Hindustan Unilever are the other prominent losers.

Out of 2,463 stocks traded so far, 1,548 have advanced, 844 have declined and 71 are unchanged.