Sensex ends up 177pts

The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 16,843, up 177 points. The NSE Nifty has settled 55 points higher at 5,058.
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(Updated at 1446hrs)

Positive opening of the European markets helped the Sensex to advance further and to touch a high of 16,873.

The index is now at 16,863, up 194 points and Nifty is quoting at 5,065, up 62 points.

The BSE midcap and the smallcap indices have outperformed the Sensex and have advanced 1.5% each.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Sterlite Industries has gained 6% at Rs 683 and Jindal Steel has added 5%, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra, Reliance Communications, DLF, Hindalco Industries, Jaipraksh Associates and ITC have advanced 2-3% each on the BSE.

On the other hand Reliance Infrastructure and Maruti have slipped 0.5% each on the BSE.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,864 shares traded, 1,965 have advanced and 807 have declined so far on the BSE.

The metal and the realty indices continue to surge, up 4% at 3,132 and 15,194, respectively.

The other major sectoral gainers are FMCG, auto and power indices, up 1-2% each.

Sesa Goa has surged 11% to Rs 373 and Sterlite Industries have zoomed 6%, respectively on the metal index.