Hat-trick of gains, Sensex ends up 197pts

The Sensex opened 29 points lower at 9,442 amid subdued cues from the global markets. The index touched a low of 9,430 in early trades and thereafter rebounded into the positive zone.

Aggressive buying in realty and energy shares helped the index rally to higher levels. The Sensex touched a high of 9,706, and finally ended higher for the third straight day - up 197 points at 9,678. In the process, the index has gained nearly 8% (701 points) in the last three days.

The BSE Realty index surged 6.3% to 1,692, and the Oil & Gas index has rallied 3.7% to 7,021.

The market breadth was marginally positive - out of 2,586 stocks traded, 1,263 advanced, 1,219 declined and the rest were unchanged today.

INDEX MOVERS...

Jaiprakash Associates zoomed 7.5% to Rs 84, and Tata Power soared over 7% to Rs 740.

Sterlite surged 6.5% to Rs 347. DLF and Reliance Infrastructure rallied around 6% each to Rs 177 and Rs 538, respectively.

Reliance gained 5.5% at Rs 1,533. The stock has been the key reason for continued uptrend in the market, and has now gained 14.5% (Rs 194) in the last three trading days.

Tata Steel and Reliance Communications advanced 4% each to Rs 195 and Rs 168, respectively.

HDFC added 3.5% to Rs 974. ICICI Bank moved up 3% to Rs 366, and BHEL gained 2.7% at Rs 1,483.

ACC and Larsen & Toubro advanced 2.5% each to Rs 562 and Rs 623, respectively.

HDFC and Grasim were up around 2% each at Rs 1,597 and Rs 1,552, respectively.

...AND THE SHAKERS

NTPC plunged nearly 3% to Rs 177.

Bharti Airtel, ONGC and Hindustan Unilever shed 2% each at Rs 591, Rs 764 and Rs 235, respectively.

Tata Motors slips over 1% to Rs 160.

OTHER PROMINENT GAINERS...

Unitech zoomed nearly 17% to Rs 34, and Welspun Gujarat soared 14.5% to Rs 78. Biocon, Voltas, HDIL, GMR Infrastructure, Punjab National Bank, India Infoline, RCF, India Cement and Axis Bank gained 7-10% each.

...AND THE LOSERS

Crompton Greaves slumped over 13% to Rs 106. Sintex shed nearly 6% at Rs 93. Rei Agro, EIH, Bhushan Steel, Divi's Lab, M&M Finan, IRB Infra, Spice Telecom, KSK Energy, BEML, United Phosphorous, Max India, Financial Technologies, Renuka Sugars, Jubilant Organsys and Hindustan Zinc declined 2-4% each.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

Reliance topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 445.35 crore followed by Akruti City (Rs 244.85 crore), ICICI Bank (Rs 203.20 crore), Reliance Capital (Rs 168.80 crore) and Reliance Infrastructure (Rs 152 crore).

Unitech led the volume chart with trades of around 3.70 crore shares followed by Cals Refineries (2.63 crore), Crompton Greaves (1.27 crore), Reliance Natural Resources (1.14 crore) and Suzlon Energy (1.12 crore).