Sensex flat; Bharti, NTPC shed 3%

The Sensex opened 77 points higher at 9,334, and touched a high of 9,380 in early trades. The index, thereafter, has pared gains and slipped marginally into red to a low of 9,236. The Sensex is now almost flat at 9,261 - up four points.

Maruti and Mahindra & Mahindra have rallied over 3% each to Rs 537 and Rs 293, respectively.

Tata Steel has surged over 2% to Rs 181. ICICI Bank and HDFC have moved up nearly 2% each to Rs 416 and Rs 1,531, respectively.

ONGC has gained 1.4% at Rs 651. Tata Motors and SBI have advanced over 1% each to Rs 148 and Rs 1,122, respectively.

Ranbaxy has plunged 3.7% to Rs 205. Bharti Airtel has dropped over 3% to Rs 633.

Wipro and NTPC have shed 2.7% each at Rs 228 and Rs 186, respectively.

BHEL has slipped 2.4% to Rs 1,360. DLF, Grasim and Reliance have declined 1.7% each to Rs 175, Rs 1,163 and Rs 1,253, respectively.

Reliance Communications and Sun Pharma are down over 1% each at Rs 165 and Rs 1,144, respectively.

The market breadth is marginally negative - out of 2,148 stocks traded so far, 1,030 have declined, 1,004 have advanced and the rest are unchanged.