Sensex firms up; Rel Infra, M&M advance 3%

The Sensex has firmed up and is now up 71 points at 14,315.

Hindalco and Sterlite have surged 3% each to Rs 133 and Rs 618, respectively.

Reliance Infrastructure and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) have rallied 2.7% each to Rs 980 and Rs 554, respectively.

Reliance Communications, HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever and Reliance have moved up around 2% each to Rs 407, Rs 1,189, Rs 241 and Rs 2,255, respectively.

ACC has gained 1.8% at Rs 559. Tata Motors and Infosys are up 1.5% each at Rs 424 and Rs 1,688, respectively.

NTPC has shed 2.5% at Rs 169, and Satyam has plunged 2.3% to Rs 390.

Grasim has slipped 1.8% to Rs 1,930. BHEL and Larsen & Toubro are down over 1% each at Rs 1,653 and Rs 2,595, respectively.

The market breadth is negative - out of 2,454 stocks traded so far, 1,249 have declined, 1,105 have advanced and 100 are unchanged.