The Sensex moved northwards through the day, and finally closed at 5,186, up 1.4% (69 points). The Nifty gained 1.3% (20 points) at 1,629.

Reliance gained 2% (Rs 9) at Rs 467. ITC was up 1.5% (Rs 16) at Rs 1,041, and HLL moved higher to Rs 112.  Wipro advanced 2% (Rs 12) to Rs 580. Infosys gained Rs 11 at Rs 1,575. Satyam, however, ended a rupee lower at Rs 338.

Maruti zoomed 5.7% (Rs 21) to Rs 382, and Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto rallied over 3% each to Rs 389 and Rs 930, respectively. Hero Honda, however, was steady and closed 1.3% (Rs 6) higher at Rs 450.

ACC spurted 3% (Rs 8) to Rs 269. Gujarat Ambuja and Grasim gained around 2% each at Rs 324 and Rs 1,119, respectively.

Hindalco surged 2.3% (Rs 26) to Rs 1,176, and Tisco was up 2.8% (Rs 7) at Rs 250.  Zee gained 2.4% (Rs 3.5) at Rs 155.

Bharti Tele was the sole significant loser among the Sensex stocks. The stock ended almost 3% (Rs 4) lower at Rs 136.

Sensex @ 1515 hrs

The Sensex continues its ascent. The index zoomed to a high of 5,187, and is now at 5,180, up 63 points. The Nifty is steady at 1,626, up 17 points.

Cement stocks are witnessing fresh buying. ACC has spurted nearly 3% (Rs 7) to Rs 269. Gujarat Ambuja has moved up 2% (Rs 6) to Rs 323, and Grasim is up 1.5% (Rs 16) at Rs 1,115.

Auto stocks continue their north-bound journey. Maruti has rallied over 5% (Rs 19) to Rs 380. Bajaj Auto and Tata Motors are up 3% each at Rs 930 and Rs 389, respectively. Hero Honda is firm at Rs 450.

Hindalco and Tisco are firm at Rs 1,176 and Rs 251, respectively.

Sensex at 1415 hrs

The Sensex continues its north-bound journey. It moved to a high of 5,176, and is now at 5,171, up 54 points. The Nifty is at 1,626, up 17 points.

Unabated buying in auto stocks have led them scale to higher levels. Maruti has soared 5% (Rs 18) to Rs 379. Bajaj Auto and Tata Motors are up nearly 3% each at Rs 929 and Rs 388, respectively.

However, Hero Honda is steady at Rs 449.

Reliance, ITC and HLL are firm at Rs 467, Rs 1,038 and Rs 112, respectively.  Wipro has moved up Rs 8 to Rs 576, and Infosys has advanced Rs 10 to Rs 1,574. Satyam, however, is lacklusture at the Rs 340.

While ONGC is holding gains at Rs 719 - up Rs 6, HPCL has shed gains and is now up a rupee at Rs 316.  Hindalco has surged 1.5% (Rs 17) to Rs 1,167, and Tisco is firm at Rs 250.

Bhel and HDFC are trading at the same price of Rs 554, down Rs 5 each.

Pharma scrips have moved to higher levels owing to fresh buying. Ranbaxy has gained 1.5% (Rs 14) at Rs 962. Dr.Reddy's is up a per cent at Rs 707, and Cipla is firm at Rs 242.  Banking and cement stocks continue to remain steady.

Zee has gained a per cent (Rs 1.40) at Rs 153. The BSE Auto index is firm at 2,255. The BSE BANKEX and Metal index are also steady at 2,537 and 4,356, respectively.  NIIT Technologies which got re-listed today, is trading at Rs 192.

The counter has clocked a volume of around 9.4 lakh shares so far on the BSE.  Tamilnadu Newsprint and Indian Overseas Bank have gained around 9% each at Rs 69.70 and Rs 43.65, respectively.

Wyeth, Castrol, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer, Jindal Iron & Steel, Exide, Mirc Electronics, Wockhardt Life, Videocon Intl, Gujarat Ind Power, Finolex Cables, TVS Motors, GMDC, Sterlite Optical, Gujarat Narmada, Ashok Leyland and Indo Gulf are up 4-7% each.

Tata Chemicals, Aventis Pharma, BPCL, ICI India and Kotak Bank are down 1-3% each.

Sensex at 1300 hrs

The Sensex has moved to an new intra-day high of 5,175, and is now up 57 points at 5,174. The Nifty has advanced 17 points to 1,626.

Maruti has zoomed 4.6% (Rs 17) to Rs 377. Bajaj Auto has surged 3.5% (Rs 32) to Rs 934. Tata Motors has rallied nearly 3% (Rs 11) to Rs 388. Hero Honda, however, is steady at Rs 449.

While ITC has extended gains and is up 1.5% at Rs 1,040, Reliance and HLL are firm at Rs 466 and Rs 112, respectively.

Cipla has pared some gains and is now up Rs 1.5 at Rs 242. Dr Reddy's and Ranbaxy are marginally up at Rs 705 and Rs 952, respectively.

Tisco has spurted 3% (Rs 7) to Rs 250. Hindalco is steady at Rs 1,156.  While Tata Power is firm at Rs 261 - up 2.5%. Reliance Energy have shed most of its gains and is now marginally up at Rs 646.

Bharti Tele has tumbled 2.5% (Rs 3.5) to Rs 136.50. The BSE Auto index has zoomed nearly 3% to 2,256. The BSE BANKEX and Metal index have also added gains at 2,543 and 4,355, respectively.

The BSE TECk index is still flat at 1,335.  SAIL has topped the volume chart on the BSE, and the counter has clocked a volume of around 24.25 lakh shares so far. It is followed by IDBI (15.84 lakh), Maruti (13.94 lakh), Essar Oil (13.92 lakh) and Prism Cements (10.52 lakh).

TCS tops the value chart on the BSE, with a turnover of Rs 66.13 crore so far followed by Maruti (Rs 52.30 crore), Reliance (Rs 37.87 crore), Tisco (Rs 23.48 crore) and SBI (Rs 22.47 crore).

Sensex @ 1200 hrs

The Sensex is firm at 5,166, up 49 points. The Nifty has gained 14 points at 1,623.

Auto stocks have surged ahead. Maruti has zoomed 4.4% (Rs 16) to Rs 377. Bajaj Auto has rallied nearly 4% (Rs 35) to Rs 937. Tata Motors has advanced 2.8% (Rs 10) to Rs 387, and Hero Honda is up over a per cent at Rs 449.

Reliance continues to rule firm at Rs 467 - up 2%. ITC and HLL are steady at Rs 1,035 and Rs 112, respectively.

While Wipro is holding gains at Rs 574, Infosys and Satyam are flat at Rs 1,565 and Rs 340, respectively.

ONGC and HPCL are steady at Rs 719 and Rs 318, respectively.  Banking, cement and pharma stocks are also steady.

Sensex @ 1115 hrs

Fresh buying in the markets saw the Sensex soar over a per cent to an new intra-high of 5,172. The index is now at 5,164, up 47 points.

The Nifty is at 1,624, up 15 points.  Auto scrips have rallied following the end of truckers strike on Saturday. Maruti has zoomed over 4% (Rs 15) to Rs 376.

Bajaj Auto is up nearly 3% (Rs 24) at Rs 827. Tata Motors has gained over 2% (Rs 8) to Rs 385, and Hero Honda has advanced Rs 3 to Rs 447.

Reliance has surged 2% (Rs 9) at Rs 467. HLL and ITC are up a per cent each at Rs 112 and Rs 1,036, respectively.  Wipro is up a per cent at Rs 574. Infosys and Satyam have moved a tad higher to Rs 1,569 and Rs 340, respectively.

ONGC and HPCL have gained Rs 4 each at Rs 717 and Rs 319, respectively.  SBI has advanced 2.3% (Rs 10) to Rs 444. ICICI Bank is up over a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 272. HDFC Bank, however, is down a rupee at Rs 369.  Gujarat Ambuja is up 1.3% (Rs 4) at Rs 321. ACC has gained Rs 2 at Rs 263, and Graism is up Rs 6.50 at Rs 1,105.

Cipla has gained over a per cent at Rs 243. While Dr.Reddy's is up Rs 6 at Rs 705, Ranbaxy is flat at Rs 948.  Hindalco has advanced Rs 10 to Rs 1,159, and Tisco has spurted nearly 2% to Rs 248.

Tata Power and Reliance Energy have surged 1.5% each to Rs 258 and Rs 653, respectively.  The BSE Auto index has zoomed over 2% to 2,242. The BSE BANKEX and Metal index have gained around 1.5% each at 2,537 and 4,324, respectively.

The BSE TECk index is flat at 1,335.  NIIT Technologies which got re-listed on Monday, opened at Rs 146 on the BSE. Fresh buying saw the scrip zoom to a high of Rs 196. The stock is now at Rs 190, with a volume of around eight lakh shares so far on the BSE.

Tamilnadu Newsprint and Indian Overseas Bank have gained 8.5% each at Rs 69 and Rs 43.50, respectively. Mric Electronics, Exide, Videocon Intl, ICI India, Ramco System, Wockhardt Life, Ashok Leyland, Gujarat Narmada, Ingersoll Rand, Sterlite Optical, GMDC, Alstom Project, BASF India, National Fert and Finolex Cables have gained 3-7% each.

Siemens is down nearly 7% to Rs 65. Tata Chemicals, Titan, Birla Corp, Aventis Pharma, ABB, Kotak Bank and HCL Tech are down 1-3% each.

While Zee and MTNL are flat at Rs 152 and Rs 123, respectively, Bharti Tele has shed 1.5% (Rs 2) to Rs 138.

Sensex @ 10.30 hrs

The Sensex opened 14 points higher at 5,131. Fresh buying in the markets saw the index rally to a high of 5,168, and is now at 5,161, up 44 points.

The Nifty is up 13 points at 1,622.

Reliance is up Rs 7 at Rs 465. HLL has gained a rupee at Rs 112.50, and ITC has moved Rs 10 higher to Rs 1,035.

While Wipro has gained Rs 4 at Rs 572, Infosys and Satyam are almost flat at Rs 1,565 and Rs 340, respectively.

Auto stocks have zoomed in early morning deals. Bajaj Auto is up Rs 10 at Rs 915. Maruti has rallied 3% (Rs 11) to Rs 372.

Hero Honda and Tata Motors have also posted smart gains at Rs 450 and Rs 386, respectively.