The Sensex commenced eight points higher at 6,659 and rallied past 6,700-mark in early trades to touch an intra-day high of 6,709 on broad-based buying support.
While the markets was extremely range-bound due to lack of fresh buying support, the index slipped into the red in mid-noon trades to touch a low of 6,647 following weak trends in tech and other select old economy counters.
The Sensex, however, soon rolled back into the positive territory and finally ended the session with a gain of 36 points at 6,687. The Nifty added eight points to 2,092.
While 17 Sensex stocks advanced, 13 declined today. Advancing shares accounted for a volume of 1.22 crore amounting to Rs 561.35 crore, and declining shares registered a volume of 1.38 crore for Rs 1,028.27 crore.
Reliance gained Rs 2 to Rs 549. While ITC added Rs 6 to Rs 1,344, HLL was up a rupee at Rs 147.
ICICI Bank jumped 4.62% (Rs 17) to Rs 389. While SBI, on a volume of over 15.99 lakh, moved up 1.56% (Rs 11) to Rs 706, HDFC Bank, however, ended weak with a loss of Rs 3 at Rs 574.
Infosys, after a mixed outing, was up a per cent (Rs 11) at Rs 2,193. While Satyam (up Rs 3 to Rs 397) also ended with steady gains, Wipro slipped a per cent (Rs 4) to Rs 671.
Bharti, with a traded volume of over 33.34 lakh, shot up 5.45% (Rs 12) to Rs 236 on strong buying support. While Tisco logged 1.78% gains (Rs 7) to Rs 429, Hindalco was up a per cent (Rs 14) at Rs 1,365.
ACC moved up 1.56% (Rs 6) to Rs 368. Grasim and Gujarat Ambuja closed up a per cent each at Rs 1,343 (up Rs 13) and Rs 443 (up Rs 3), respectively.
ONGC ended a per cent lower (Rs 8) at Rs 856. The counter clocked a volume of over 1.4 crore on the BSE.
Ranbaxy lost 1.78% (Rs 18) to Rs 1,000. Other pharma majors largely ended on a flat note.
Bajaj and Tata Motors were down a rupee each at Rs 1,044 and Rs 464, respectively. Maruti ended marginally lower at Rs 462. Hero Honda, however, was up a tad at Rs 550.
L&T tumbled 2% (Rs 23) to Rs 1,114, and HDFC dipped 1.38% (Rs 11) to Rs 771. Zee shed 2% (Rs 3) to Rs 135.