Sensex up 57 pts

The market is still exhibiting firm trend, though off-highs, as gains in select counters have tapered off owing to the emergence of profit-taking. The Sensex is now up 57 points at 6,587, while the Nifty is steady at 2,067 - up 15 points.

Reliance (up Rs 5 to Rs 539) is trading slightly off-highs. ITC (down Rs 6 to Rs 1,319) and HLL (down Rs 2 to Rs 162) are still trading at subdued levels.

Infosys has clocked a per cent gain (Rs 14) to Rs 2,081. While Satyam is marginally up at Rs 405, Wipro is down a rupee at Rs 685.

SBI is up a per cent (Rs 7) at Rs 655. While HDFC Bank has gained 2.77% (Rs 15) to Rs 570, ICICI Bank is up with a small gain of Rs 3 at Rs 369.

HPCL has added 1.86% (Rs 7) to Rs 367, while L&T has gained 1.83% (Rs 18) to Rs 994. ONGC is still trading with a per cent gain (Rs 5) at Rs 824, and Reliance Energy is up 1.61% (Rs 9) at Rs 572.

ACC has inched up by 1.17% (Rs 4) to Rs 358. Grasim and Gujarat Ambuja are up a per cent each at Rs 1,340 and Rs 455, respectively.

Bajaj (up Rs 13 or 1.23% to Rs 1,049), Hero Honda (up Rs 4 to Rs 533), Maruti (up Rs 8 to Rs 458) and Tata Motors (up Rs 5 to Rs 490) are trading with steady gains.

Bharti (up Rs 3 or 1.48% to Rs 222) is trading in a narrow range after early rise. While HDFC is trading firm with a gain of 2.35% (Rs 18) at Rs 789, Tisco is up 2.33% (Rs 9) at Rs 393.

Capital goods stocks have firmed up on strong buying support. Amforge Industries has advanced 9.97% (Rs 13) to Rs 148. While HMT has added 7.51% to Rs 46, Astra Micro has gained 4.99% to Rs 684. Siemens, Crompton Greaves, Usha Martin, ABB, Havell, Nelco and Atlas Copcol are up in a range of 2-4%.

Metal scrips, too, have attracted buying. Gujarat NRE Coke has flared up 8.79% (Rs 17) to Rs 217, and Mukand Iron & Steel has surged 6% (Rs 4) to Rs 62. While Essar Steel has notched up 4.83% gains to Rs 41, Sterlite Industries has gained 4.33% to Rs 681. Sun Iron & Steel, Ispat, PSL, Kirloskar Ferous, Sesa Goa and Jindal Stainless have gained between 3-5%.