Sensex steady; Sterlite, Tata Steel extend losses

The Sensex continues to display strength and is now up 91 points at 14,669.

The NSE Nifty is up 24 points at 4,420.

HDFC Bank has rallied 3.6% to Rs 1,149, and ICICI Bank has surged 3.3% to Rs 661. SBI has added 2% to Rs 1,540.

Mahindra & Mahindra has advanced over 3% to Rs 536. Hindustan Unilever and Tata Motors have gained 2.3% each at Rs 240 and Rs 406, respectively.

Reliance Infrastructure has moved up 1.5% to Rs 1,016.

Sterlite has slumped over 6% to Rs 585. Tata Steel has shed 3.8% at Rs 666.

Ranbaxy has slipped 1.8% to Rs 515. Infosys has dropped 1.5% to Rs 1,630, and Jaiprakash Associates is down 1% at Rs 173.

The market breadth is extremely positive - out of 2,404 stocks traded so far, 1,627 have advanced, 696 have slipped and the rest are unchanged.