Muhurat Trading: Markets have a steady session

It is turning out into a confident session of trade. While the markets have pared some of the gains registered at opening bell, they are still comfortably placed mid-point between the highs and lows of the day. The Sensex is quoting at 21012, higher by 120 points and the Nifty is at 6314, up 33 points. The midcap index is at 8675, higher by 72 points and the smallcap index is at 11034, up 154 points.

Jaiprakash Associates, Hindalco and M&M continue to top the gainers list on the BSE.

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(Updated at 1816pm)

The new year has started on a rocking note, with the markets taking off from where they left on Thursday. With the Sensex touching an all-time closing high on the previous day, it was the turn of Nifty to make history. And it has done so at opening bell itself. The Sensex is quoting at 21107, stronger by 213 points and the Nifty is at 6333, higher by 50 points. The largecaps are calling the shots yet again and all the sectoral indices are trading in the green.

The leading gainers on the Sensex are Jaiprakash Associates (stronger by 3.3% at Rs 132), M&M (higher by 1.7% at Rs 791) and Hero Honda (up 1.6% at Rs 1870). And index heavyweight RIL has hardened by 0.8% at Rs 1113. And the buying interest in Coal India is showing no signs of abating, with the world's largest coal maker adding another 4% to its blockbuster gains on listing day to trade at Rs 3556.

Jindal Steel is the only stock to buck the trend; the steel major is trading at Rs 717, down 0.2%, on the BSE.

The market breadth is positive. Out of 1110 stocks traded on the BSE, there are 1030 advancing stocks as against 65 declines.