Sensex up 31 points; Maruti sheds 6%

The Sensex extended its rally by gaining 31 points to close at 5,429 today. The Nifty ended 10 points higher at 1,685.

HLL and ITC shed 1.5% each to Rs 120 and Rs 1,086, respectively. Reliance was down a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 486.

Satyam surged 3% (Rs 11) to Rs 390 owing to frenzied buying at the counter. Wipro gained 2% (Rs 12) at Rs 601, and Infosys was up 1.3% (Rs 22) at Rs 1,698.

Auto stocks, barring Hero Honda, were weak through the day. Maruti crashed 6.3% (Rs 24) to Rs 355. Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto ended with marginal losses at Rs 390 and Rs 916, respectively. However, Hero Honda bucked the trend and zoomed 3.8% (Rs 17) to Rs 463.

HPCL spurted over 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 329, and ONGC moved up 1.3% (Rs 9) to Rs 710.

HDFC advanced 2.2% (Rs 14) to Rs 637. Bhel was up 1.6% (Rs 9) at Rs 578.

Pharma

stocks continued to surge ahead. Cipla and Ranbaxy advanced over 2% each to Rs 271 and Rs 1,093, respectively. However, Dr.Reddy's declined Rs 7 to Rs 750.

Late buying at the Grasim counter saw the scrip rally 3% (Rs 35) to Rs 1,194. ACC and Gujarat Ambuja were up Rs 2 each at Rs 274 and Rs 339, respectively.

While Tisco declined 1.5% (Rs 4) to Rs 264, Hindalco rallied over a per cent (Rs 13) to Rs 1,196.

Bharti Tele soared 4.6% (Rs 6.50) to Rs 146 towards the close. Zee gained 2.5% (Rs 4) at Rs 147, and MTNL was unchanged at Rs 120.