Sensex in red; Auto, realty indices firm

The Sensex has once again dropped in red and is now down 14 points at 17,217. The Nifty is down eight points at 5,136.
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(Updated at 1258 hrs)

The Sensex is now at 17,270, up 40 points. The NSE Nifty is flat at 5,144.

Reliance Infrastructure and Tata Motors have advanced 2.5% each to Rs 1,098 and Rs 764, respectively.

Hero Honda, ONGC and DLF have added 1.5% each at Rs 1,731, Rs 1,196 and Rs 371, respectively.

The other prominent stocks are Sterlite, BHEL, ACC and Hindalco, up 1% each.

Jaiprakash Associates is the major loser on the BSE, down 2% at Rs 144. NTPC and Bharti Airtel are up 1% each at Rs 226 and Rs 322, respectively.

The market breadth is positive, out of 2,764 shares traded, 1,604 have advanced and 1,052 have declined so far on the BSE.

Among the sectoral indices, auto and the realty indices are up 1% each at 7,328 and 3,856, respectively.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

Tata Steel has topped the value chart on the BSE with a turnover of Rs 73.59 crore. It is followed by Suzlon Energy (Rs 53.86 crore), Tata Motors (Rs 52.15 crore), Axis Bank (Rs 48.61 crore) and Larsen & Toubro (Rs 45.15 crore).

Cals Refineries has topped the volume chart with trades of 21.37 million shares. It is followed by Austral Coke (6.87 million), Suzlon Energy (6.11 million), Gammon Infra (6.05 million) and IFCI (5.85 million).