Sensex up 73pts; Maruti, Bharti weak

The Sensex is now up 73 points at 15,538.

NTPC has soared over 3% to Rs 187. Cipla has surged 2% to Rs 183.

ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever and Wipro have rallied around 1.5% each to Rs 919, Rs 214 and Rs 473, respectively.

Reliance Energy, Grasim, Ambuja Cements, Tata Steel and Bajaj Auto are up over 1% each at Rs 834, Rs 3,058, Rs 138, Rs 691 and Rs 2,310, respectively.

Maruti has shed 1.8% to Rs 878, and Bharti Airtel has slipped 1.3% to Rs 848.

Mahindra & Mahindra is down 1% at Rs 709.

Out of 2,747 stocks traded so far, 1,538 have advanced, 1,137 have declined and 72 are unchanged.