The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 16,802 - up 372 points. The Nifty ended at 5,027 - up 105 points.
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(Updated at 1433 hrs)
Markets have continued to trade firm in late noon trades. The Sensex, after touching a high of 16,769, is now up 313 points at 16,742.
The Nifty is up 87 points at 5,009.
The BSE mid-cap and small-cap indices have also surged The indices have gained 2% each to 6,525 and 8,235, respectively.
The auto index has surged 4% to 7,453, followed by metal, FMCG and bank stocks.
Tata Motors has soared 11% to Rs 789 following a jump in February sales figures. Tata Steel has surged 5.25% to Rs 604.
ACC has jumped 4.8% to Rs 968. ITC, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Power have gained 4% each.
Sterlite and Bharti Airtel have rallied 3.7% each to Rs 810 and Rs 290, respectively.
Wipro, BHEL, ICICI Bank, Jaiprakash Associates, Maruti Suzuki, Hindalco and HDFC Bank have moved up 2-3% each.
However, realty stocks are showing weakness. DLF has dropped 2.3% to Rs 290. Reliance Infrastructure has slipped 1.4% to Rs 989.
FMCG major, Hindustan Unilever is down 1% at Rs 234.
The BSE market breadth is positive. Out of 2,854 stocks traded, 2,001 have advanced while 781 have declined.
