Sensex ends 250pts higher

The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 17,943, up 250 points. The NSE Nifty has ended (provisional) at 5,369, up 80 points. __________________________________________________________

(Updated at 1445hrs)

The Sensex has extended further gains and is now at 17,913, up 220 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,361, up 70 points. ____________________________________________________

(Updated at 1445hrs)

The Sensex continues to exhibit firm movement and is now at 17,852, up 159 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,342, up 52 points.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Reliance Infrastructure and Bharti Airtel have advanced 4% each to Rs 1,054 and Rs 312, respectively.

Hero Honda and Tata Steel have added 3% each at Rs 2,010 and Rs 672, respectively.

Hindustan unilever,TCS and Wipro are down 1% each at Rs 228, Rs 800 and Rs 715, respectively.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,866 shares traded, 2,155 have advanced and 659 have declined so far on the BSE.

Among the sectoral indices, realty and the auto index has added 2% each at 3,377 and 7,786, respectively.

The BSE smallcap and the midcap indices continue to outperform the broader index, up 2% and 1%, respectively.