Stock markets continue to remain a key route for corporates' to raise funds for expansion, with the worldwide IPOs space posting a record net proceeds

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 65 points at 14,360. Steady buying in auto, banking and capital goods stocks saw the index trade with a positive bias today. The index rallied to a high of 14,449, and finally settled with a gain of 116 points at 14,412.

The BSE Auto and Bankex rallied 1.4% each to 4762 and 7790, respectively. The Metal index gained 1% at 10,725.

The market breadth was positive - out of 2,635 stocks traded, 1,447 advanced, 1,100 declined and 88 unchanged.

INDEX MOVERS & SHAKERS

SBI zoomed nearly 4% to Rs 1,425. HDFC gained 2% to Rs 1,812.

Gujarat Ambuja soared 4.6% to Rs 118. Grasim surged 3% to Rs 2,513.

Tata Motors rallied 3.5% to Rs 686. Maruti advanced nearly 3% to Rs 773, and Bajaj Auto added 2% to Rs 2,162.

BHEL and Larsen & Toubro moved up around 1.7% each to Rs 1,430 and Rs 2,028, respectively.

Bharti Airtel gained 1.5% at Rs 825. Cipla and ITC added 1.3% each to Rs 210 and Rs 155, respectively. Dr.Reddy's was up 1% at Rs 642.

Ranbaxy tumbled 2% to Rs 352, and TCS dropped 1.3% to Rs 1,146.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

Divi's Lab topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 165 crore followed by Reliance Capital (Rs 155 crore), Educomp Solutions (Rs 136.30 crore), India Infoline (Rs 120.70 crore) and SBI (Rs 107 crore).

Voltas led the volume chart with trades of around 76.20 lakh shares followed by G V Films (75.20 lakh), Reliance Natural (73 lakh), IKF Technologies (63 lakh) and IFCI (57.25 lakh)