Sensex ends up 142pts; Grasim zooms 9%

Mirroring the positive trend in the global markets, the Sensex opened 132 points higher at 9,822, and touched a high of 9,948 in the morning trades. Some profit-taking at higher levels saw the index pare gains and slip to a low of 9,749.

The index, thereafter, exhibited range-bound movement and finally settled with a gain of 142 points at 9,832.

Out of 2,572 stocks traded today - 1,935 advanced, 556 declined and the rest were unchanged.

The NSE Nifty closed 60 points higher at 2,981.

INDEX MOVERS...

Grasim zoomed over 9% at Rs 1,174, and Hindalco soared nearly 6% to Rs 56.

Sterlite surged over 5% to Rs 308. Larsen & Toubro and Tata Steel rallied over 4.2% each to Rs 820 and Rs 227, respectively.

ONGC gained over 4.1% at Rs 673 while ACC was up 3.9% to Rs 513.

Mahindra and Mahindra advanced 3.5% to Rs 303. HDFC Bank and Jaiprakash Associates were up 2.7% each to Rs 945 and Rs 86, respectively.

Tata Motors moved up 2.6% at Rs 158. Reliance gained 2.4% to Rs 1,338.

...AND SHAKERS

Reliance Communications slumped 4.1% to Rs 239, and TCS plunged 2.6% to Rs 470.

Tata Power tumbled 2.5% to Rs 732. Wipro declined 1.6% to Rs 235 and HDFC shed 1.4% at Rs 1,612.

State Bank of India was down 0.8% at Rs 1,204.

MOST ACTIVE COUNTERS

Reliance topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 505.79 crore followed by State Bank of India (Rs 234.15 crore), Reliance Natural Resources (Rs 206.80 crore), DLF (Rs 193 crore) and Reliance Capital (Rs 145.51 crore).

Reliance Natural Resources led the volume chart with trades of around 3.51 crore shares followed by Unitech (2.29 crore), IFCI (2.24 crore), Reliance Petroleum (1.50 crore) and GVK Power (1.46 crore).