Sensex ends up 290pts

The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 16,678, up 290 points. The NSE Nifty has settled (provisional) at 5,005, up 88 points.
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(Updated at 1516hrs)

The markets have extended further gains owing to strength in FMCG, auto and realty stocks. The Sensex is now at 16,585, up 200 points and the NSE Nifty is at 4,975, up 60 points.

Among the Sensex-30 stocks, Sterlite Industries has gained 5% to Rs 648. Tata Motors and ONGC have added 4% each at Rs 737 and Rs 1,117, respectively.

The other major gainers are Mahindra & Mahindra, BHEL, Reliance Communications, ITC and HDFC Bank, up 2-3% each.

DLF, Tata Power, Tata Steel and HUL have added over 1% each on the BSE.

Hindalco Industries and Bharti Airtel are down 1% each at Rs 146 and Rs 262, respectively.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,814 shares traded, 1,542 have advanced and 1,172 have declined so far on the BSE.

Among the sectoral indices, FMCG and auto indices have advanced 2% each on the BSE.

The BSE midcap and the smallcap indices have added 0.5% each.

Ruchi Soya and Godrej Constructions are the top gainers on the FMCG index, up 3-5% each.