The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex today advanced by another 19 points in morning trade, extending gains for the third consecutive session, on persistent buying by investors amid firm Asian cues.
The Sensex resumed higher at 21,127.66 and improved further to 21,156.92 before quoting at 21,119.98 at 1030 hours, showing a modest gain of 18.95 or 0.09 per cent from its last close.
The NSE 50-share Nifty also moved up by 9 points or 0.14 per cent to 6,293.50 at 1030 hours.
The market may remain volatile this week, which is a truncated trading week, as traders roll over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near-month December 2013 series to January 2014 series. The near-month December 2013 derivatives contract expire on Thursday, 26 December 2013.
Major gainers were L&T (1.24 pct), Bajaj Auto (1.07 pct), Bhel (1.03 pct), Dr Reddy's Lab (0.78 pct), Infosys (0.78 pct) and TCS (0.78 pct).
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 135.42 crore yesterday, as per provisional dat from the stock exchanges.
Asian stocks edged higher in early trade, after data showed the US economic recovery gaining momentum. US economy is the world's biggest economy. Key indices in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea rose 0.13 pct to 1.07 pct.
