Post Session Market Commentary

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 30 points at 20,903 but weakness in the overseas markets saw the index slip into negative zone. The index dropped to a low of 20,701 - down 202 points from the day's open.

Fresh buying at lower levels saw the index rebound into positive zone in late morning deals. The buying momentum was so strong that the index rallied past the 21,000-mark to hit a fresh all-time intra-day high of 21,113 - up 413 points from the day's low.

A fresh round of profit-taking in noon deals saw the Sensex finally close almost flat 20,870 - down three points.

The market breadth was fairly negative - out of 2,912 stocks traded, 2,128 declined, 766 advanced and 18 were unchanged today.

INDEX MOVERS...

NTPC soared 4.5% to Rs 277. HDFC surged 3.5% to Rs 3,174.

Reliance Communications gained 2% at Rs 821. Hindalco and HDFC Bank rallied 1.7% each to Rs 212 and Rs 1,745, respectively.

DLF and Grasim moved up 1.5% each to Rs 1,169 and Rs 3,451, respectively.

Reliance Energy was up over 1% at Rs 2,565.

...AND SHAKERS

Mahindra & Mahindra plunged 2.7% to Rs 808.

BHEL dropped 2% to Rs 2,444. ONGC, ICICI Bank and Ranbaxy slipped 1.7% each to Rs 1,299, Rs 1,310 and Rs 412, respectively.

ACC and Maruti declined 1.5% each to Rs 970 and Rs 926, respectively.

ITC was down over 1% at Rs 228.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

Reliance Natural Resources topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 701.70 crore followed by Reliance Capital (Rs 369.30 crore), Reliance Petroleum (Rs 331.80 crore), Reliance Communications (Rs 308.50 crore) and Reliance Energy (Rs 222 crore).

Himachal Futuristic led the volume chart with trades of around 3.18 crore followed by Reliance Natural Resources (2.95 crore), Ispat Industries (1.82 crore), Centurion Bank of Punjab (1.55 crore) and Cybermate Inf (1.49 crore).