Sensex extends gains, up 156pts

The Sensex has extended gains and is now up 156 points at 9,627. The index had earlier touched a low of 9,430.

Jaiprkash Associates and Tata Power have surged 3.5% each to Rs 81 and Rs 716, respectively.

Reliance, ITC and DLF have rallied around 3% each to Rs 1,498, Rs 181 and Rs 171, respectively.

ACC and Sterlite have gained around 2.5% each at Rs 563 and Rs 334, respectively.

Reliance Infrastructure, Maruti, Wipro and ICICI Bank have advanced over 2% each to Rs 520, Rs 751, Rs 248 and Rs 363, respectively.

HDFC Bank, Larsen & Toubro, SBI, BHEL and Grasim are up around 2% each.

NTPC and Bharti Airtel have shed 1.7% each at Rs 179 and Rs 594, respectively.

Ranbaxy has dropped 1.5% to Rs 162. Tata Motors, Hindalco, Mahindra & Mahindra and ONGC are down over 1% each at Rs 160, Rs 49, Rs 370 and Rs 771, respectively.

The market breadth is marginally positive - out of 2,070 stocks traded so far, 1,009 have advanced, 976 have declined and the rest are unchanged.