Sensex above 9K, up 181pts

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 92 points at 8,956, and since then has extended gains backed by steady buying in metal, banking and realty stocks. The index is now up 181 points at 9,045.

The BSE Metal index has surged 3.3% to 5,139. The Bankex and Realty index has rallied 3% each to 4,128 and 1,515, respectively.

Jaiprakash Associates has soared 5.5% to Rs 79. Sterlite has gained 5% at Rs 307.

Reliance Infrastructure and ICICI Bank have rallied over 4% each to Rs 483 and Rs 337, respectively. Tata Steel has moved up 3.8% to Rs 175.

Reliance Communications and Tata Motors have advanced around 3% each to Rs 163 and Rs 177, respectively.

Reliance and BHEL are also up nearly 3% each at Rs 1,337 and Rs 1,436, respectively.

TCS, Ranbaxy, Wipro, DLF, Tata Power, SBI, HDFC Bank, Hindalco and Sun Pharma are the other major gainers.

Mahindra & Mahindra, however, has slipped 1.5% to Rs 372. Bharti Airtel is down 1% at Rs 565.