Sensex up 76pts; L&T soars 5%

The Sensex is now up 76 points at 15,626.

Larsen & Toubro has soared 4.5% to Rs 2,483. Tata Steel has surged 4% to Rs 710, and Bharti Airtel has rallied 3.7% to Rs 929.

HDFC has advanced 1.3% to Rs 1,982. Ranbaxy is up 1% at Rs 355.

ACC has plunged over 3% to Rs 1,114. Cipla has shed 2% at Rs 201.

Ambuja Cements and Bajaj Auto have slipped nearly 2% each to Rs 136 and Rs 2,341, respectively.

Hindalco, Hindustan Unilever and Satyam have dropped around 1.5% each to Rs 183, Rs 195 and Rs 480, respectively.

ONGC is down over 1% at Rs 885.

Out of 2,578 stocks traded so far, 1,532 have declined, 974 have advanced and 72 are unchanged.