Volatile Sensex ends marginally higher

The Sensex opened 92 points lower at 11,237, and touched a low of 11,177 owing to weak cues from the Asian markets. The index, however, soon recovered and rebounded into the positive zone backed by fresh buying in banking, capital goods and metal stocks.

The index moved up to a high of 11,492 - up 315 points from the day's high. Profit taking in noon trades saw the index slip back into red. The Sensex thereafter displayed zig-zag movement and finally ended with a gain of 43 points at 11,372.

The BSE Bankex rallied 2.4% to 5,727, and the Capital Goods index gained 1.6% at 8,072. However, the Realty index dropped 2.4% to 2,202.

The market breadth was negative. Out of 2,582 stocks traded,1,341 declined and 1,158 advanced.

Meanwhile elsewhere in Asia - the Hang Seng slumped 2.7% (418 points) to 14,840. The Taiwan Weighted index dropped 3% to 5,705. The Shanghai Composite and the Straits Times declined nearly 2% each.

INDEX MOVERS...

ICICI Bank surged 8% to Rs 468. Wipro and Sterlite advanced over 4% each to Rs 325 and Rs 415, respectively.

Jaiprakash Associates and TCS rallied over 3.5% each at Rs 130 and Rs 603, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro and Sun Pharma added over 2.5% each to Rs 908 and Rs 1,230, respectively.

...AND THE SHAKERS

Ranbaxy slipped over 4.5% to Rs 168.

Reliance infrastructure and Reliance Communications shed over 3.5% each to Rs 711 and Rs 223, respectively.

Hindustan Unilever, ACC and Tata Steel dropped 3% to Rs 231, Rs 659 and Rs 253, respectively.

VALUE TOPPERS

ICICI Bank has topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 366.67crore followed by Reliance Capital (Rs 208.85 crore), Jaiprakash Associates (Rs 198.91 crore), Reliance (Rs 195.64 crore) and Indiabulls Realestate (Rs 175.95 crore).