Sensex nears 12,000 mark with 158 pts gain

Mumbai, Apr 19: The benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened with a gain of 58 points at 11,880.05 as compared to the last close of 11,821.57.

Fired up fourth quarter (Q4) results the 30 share Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE was continuing it bull run touching a high of 11,979 up by 158 points which was an all time high and just 21 points away from 12,000 mark.

Sensex traded 130 points up at 11,951 at 1134 hrs.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) S&P CNX Nifty index traded 43 points up at 3,561 points at 1125 hrs.

Among the sectoral indices, BSE Informnation Technology index was up by 2.30 per cent, BSE Technology index was up by 2.02 per cent and BSE Health Care index was up by 2.05 per cent, Oil&Gas index was up by 1.46 per cent.

The top gainers on the Sensex were led by aluminium major Hindalco which was up by 3.83 per cent to Rs 207.40.

Index heavy weight Reliance Industries was up by 3.57 per cent to an all time high of Rs 923 after it was demerged in January, on expectations of good Q4 results.

Other gainers were ONGC which was up by 2.79 per cent to Rs 1,344 and Tata Steel was up by 2.88 per cent to Rs 606.30.

The other big gainers were HDFC, HDFC Bank, NTPC, Ranbaxy, Wipro and ITC.

Wipro announced 30 per cent rise in its revenue to Rs 10,626 crore, thus surpassing the Rs 10,000 crore or USD two billion mark, in the fiscal ending on March 31. Wipro stock was up by 1.67 per cent this morning to Rs 579.70 at 1134 hrs, earlier it touched a high of Rs 598.90.

UNI