Essar Oil leads the gainers

MRPL, Chennai Petroleum Corporation, EIH, and REI Agro are among the other gainers.

Shares of oil refiners dominated the gainers in BSE 'A' group. Private sector oil refiner firm Essar Oil surged 48.38% to Rs 119.15. It topped the gainers in BSE's 'A' group. Essar Oil was expected to seal a deal this week to buy a 50% stake in the Kenya Petroleum Refinery in Mombasa. Essar will reportedly buy the stake from three private firms that are divesting from the east African nation's only refinery - Shell, BP and Chevron. However, latest reports suggested, the firm and the Kenyan government have failed to reach an agreement on who should take management control of the Mombasa-based facility.

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL), in which ONGC holds over 70% stake, spurted 19.27% to Rs 52.30. It was the second biggest gainer in 'A' group.

Chennai Petroleum Corporation, in which Indian Oil Corporation holds 51.89% stake, flared up 18.23% to Rs 121.90. It was the third biggest gainer in 'A' group.

Hospitality firm EIH jumped 18.15% to Rs 122.05 after 29.13 lakh shares, or 0.74% equity changed hands in two different block deals on the BSE and the NSE at an average price of Rs 123.08. It was the fourth biggest gainer in 'A' group.

Basmati rice processing firm REI Agro rose 15.03% to Rs 51.65. It was the fifth biggest gainer in 'A' group.