Bankex helps Sensex recover, ends up 82pts

Following the weak global cues, the Sensex opened with a negative gap of 87 points at 14,788 and slipped further to a low of 14,622. The index thereafter tried to recover but was rangebound. In the last two hours, the index moved up to touch a high of 15,022, up 401 points from day's low.

The index finally ended with a gains of 82 points at 14,958.

The Bankex was the major gainer today and moved up 2.3% to 8,202.

The market breadth was positive. Out of 2,722 stocks traded, 1,642 advanced while 1,007 declined.

Index movers...

Reliance Infrastructure rallied 6% to Rs 1,269. SBI gained 4.5% to Rs 1,714.

Jaiprakash Associates and Tata Steel added 4% each to Rs 219 and Rs 451, respectively. Tata Power, Hindalco and Sun Pharma added over 3% each.

Reliance Communications, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, NTPC, Larsen & Toubro, HDFC Bank and Hindustan Unilever advanced 1-3% each.

...and shakers

TCS slumped 50% to Rs 390. Sterlite slumped 4.5% to Rs 634.

Reliance, Bharti Airtel and Wipro dropped over 1% each.

OTHER PROMINENT GAINERS...

Mangalore Refineries & Petrochemicals soared 14% to Rs 95. Tech Mahindra zoomed 13% to Rs 791.

IDBI Bank, LIC Housing Finance, IFCI, Neyveli Lignite, Renuka Sugar and JP Hydropower gained 7-10% each.

...and other losers

Reliance Natural Resources pared yesterday's gains and slipped 7% to Rs 100. Jet Airways slumped 5.5% to Rs 262. RCF slipped 4% to Rs 83 after announcing its Q4FY09 results.

Rei Agro, Container Corporation, Union Bank, Piramal Healthcare, Reliance Power, Reliance Petroleum, Lupin and Everest Kanto dropped 2-4% each.

Most active counters

Reliance Natural Resources topped the value chart with a total turnover of Rs 467.53 crore. It is followed by Reliance (Rs 265.25 crore), Reliance Capital (Rs 252.88 crore), Tata Steel (Rs 205.12 crore) and DLF (Rs 201.19 crore).

Reliance Natural Resources, too, led the volume chart with trades of over 45 million shares. It is followed by IFCI (22.01 million), Unitech (21.43 million), Suzlon (16.64 million) and JP Hydropower (13.74 million).