The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 8 points at 3,986, and zoomed past the 4,000-mark in morning deals. Buying in old economy stocks saw the index spurt to an intra-day high of 4,026. The index slipped below the magic figure in afternoon trades on selling pressure in auto, pharma and PSU stocks, and touched an intra-day low of 3,982.

However, renewed buying in HLL, Reliance and HDFC towards the fag-end saw the Sensex finally finish with a gain of 29 points at 4,007.

The Nifty, however, ended in the negative territory with a loss of 4 points at 1,278.

While 11 Sensex stocks advanced, 17 declined and two were unchanged on Tuesday. The traded volume and value totalled 2.43 crore (24.3 million) and Rs 702.78 crore (Rs 7,027.8 million), respectively.

The heavyweights finished at higher levels. HLL rallied sharply towards the fag-end after trading on a steady note till late noon deals, and zoomed nearly 4% (Rs 7) to Rs 188. More than 18 lakh (1.8 million) shares changed hands on BSE with a turnover of Rs 34 crore (Rs 340 million).

Reliance, too, gathered momentum towards the closing hours and finished with a gain of 2% (Rs 9) at Rs 370. Over 27 lakh (2.7 million) shares were traded on BSE with a turnover of Rs 99 crore (Rs 990 million).

ITC, after trading in and out of the positive zone, finished with a loss of Rs 3 at Rs 768.

The cement pivotals displayed positive trends. ACC remained firm on strong buying support and moved up 3% (Rs 6) to Rs 216. While Grasim notched up nearly 2% gains (Rs 10) to close at Rs 619, Gujarat Ambuja ended up a per cent (Rs 2) at Rs 231. L&T ended marginally higher at Rs 281.

The tech stocks ended with marginal gains. Infosys, which touched a high of Rs 3,560 in morning deals, ended flat at Rs 3,488 on profit-taking. More than 100,000 shares were traded on BSE with a turnover of Rs 58 crore (Rs 580 million).

While Satyam finished up a per cent (Rs 2) at Rs 203, HCL Tech closed up a tad at Rs 165.

PSUs finished on a lacklustre note. BHEL slipped into the red in late afternoon deals and was down nearly 2% (Rs 5) at Rs 319. SBI was down a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 426. HPCL, too, finished in the negative territory with a loss of Rs 2 at Rs 359. MTNL, however, ended in the gainers list at Rs 129.

The auto and pharma majors ended on a subdued note.

Bajaj, which gained 6% on Monday, lost ground since morning trades and finished with a loss of 2% (Rs 17) at Rs 696. Telco declined a per cent (Rs 4) to Rs 256. Hero Honda, after trading in the positive zone for better part of the trading session, finished with a loss of Rs 2 at Rs 267.

Dr. Reddy's at Rs 1,057 (down Rs 7) and Cipla at Rs 839 (down Rs 9) ended in the negative zones. Glaxo was down a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 406. Ranbaxy, however, finished up a per cent (Rs 11) at Rs 843.

HDFC rallied sharply towards the closing hours to finish with a huge gain of 7% (Rs 32) at Rs 512.

Tisco and Zee dropped 3% each to close at Rs 251 (down Rs 8) and Rs 112 (down Rs 3), respectively. BSES and Castrol shed 2% each to Rs 305 (down Rs 6) and Rs 212 (down Rs 4), respectively. Hindalco closed down a per cent (Rs 7) at Rs 914. Nestle languished in the negative territory through the session, and lost nearly 2% (Rs 9) to close at Rs 578. ICICI Bank fell from the higher levels and finished on a flat note at Rs 157.

Sail, which firmed up in the morning deals to touch the day's high of Rs 61, lost ground thereafter on profit-taking, and tanked 16% (Rs 8) to close at Rs 43. More than 6.57 crore (65.7 million) shares changed hands on the BSE with a turnover of Rs 315 crore (Rs 3,150 million).

Jindal Steel, too, fell from the higher levels and dropped 8% (Rs 62) to Rs 675.

The tech stocks displayed mixed trends. Wipro traded in the positive zone through the session and added 2% (Rs 16) to close at Rs 925. Hughes gained 5% (Rs 15) to Rs 309. Visual and NIIT rose 4% each to Rs 179 (up Rs 6) and Rs 120 (up Rs 5), respectively. Mphasis, however, shed 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 354. Digital and Mastek were down a per cent each at Rs 452 (down Rs 3) and Rs 196 (down Rs 2), respectively.

Oil PSUs were weak on Tuesday. IBP dipped 5% (Rs 31) to Rs 592. ONGC and IOC were down a per cent each at Rs 541 (down Rs 6) and Rs 323 (down Rs 4), respectively. BPCL, however, added nearly 2% (Rs 5) at Rs 291.

India Cement notched up 11% gains (Rs 4) to close at Rs 36. Punjab Tractors and SCI moved up 4% each to Rs 166 (up Rs 7) and Rs 97 (up Rs 4), respectively. RCF, however, shed 5% (Rs 2) to Rs 37.

Sensex @ 13.15

Though select heavyweights and tech stocks are holding on to their gains, selling in PSU, auto and pharma stocks has seen the Sensex slip below the 4,000 levels. It is now up six points at 3,984.

The Nifty, however, has slipped into the red with a loss of 3 points at 1,278.

HLL has notched up further gains after remaining steady till the early afternoon deals. It is now up 3% (Rs 6) at Rs 188. Reliance is trading with steady gains at Rs 364 - up Rs 3. ITC, however, has shed further ground on selling pressure, and is now down a per cent (Rs 7) at Rs 763.

ACC is holding on to its gains at Rs 216 - up Rs 7 or 3%. While Grasim is up nearly 2% (Rs 9) at Rs 619, Gujarat Ambuja is up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 232. L&T is up a rupee at Rs 281.

Infosys has trimmed its gains to a considerable extent and is now marginally up (Rs 17) at Rs 3,505. HCL Tech is unchanged with a per cent gain (Rs 2) at Rs 167. Satyam, too, is up a per cent (Rs 2) at Rs 202.

BHEL has succumbed to losses on selling pressure to Rs 318 - down Rs 7 or 2%. SBI at Rs 427, HPCL at Rs 358 and MTNL at Rs 126 are down a per cent each.

Bajaj is still trading lower by 2% (Rs 17) at Rs 699. Telco, too, has slipped 2% (Rs 4) to Rs 255. Hero Honda is now marginally down at Rs 268.

Cipla and Glaxo are still subdued with a loss of Rs 3 each at Rs 845 and Rs 407, respectively. Ranbaxy is now up a per cent (Rs 6) at Rs 838.

Tisco has come under sustained selling pressure and is now down 4% (Rs 9) at Rs 249. Zee, too, has dropped 4% (Rs 5) to Rs 111. BSES and Castrol have lost Rs 4 each to Rs 306 and Rs 212, respectively.

Nestle is still languishing in the negative territory with a loss of a per cent (Rs 7) at Rs 580. HDFC, however, continues to trade at higher levels with a gain of 4% (Rs 19) at Rs 498. Hindalco has shed most of its gains, and is now up Rs 3 at Rs 924.

Sensex @ 13.15

The afternoon trade has seen the Sensex move in a narrow range (positive zone), although cement and select pharma stocks have shown considerable improvement after a steady morning session. It is now up 30 points at 4,008.

Reliance at Rs 367 (up Rs 6 or 2%) and HLL at Rs 185 (up Rs 3) are holding on to their gains. ITC is trading on a flat note at Rs 770.

ACC, after a steady morning session, has rallied sharply on renewed buying support, and is now up 4% (Rs 8) at Rs 218. Gujarat Ambuja has moved up 2% (Rs 5) to Rs 234. Grasim at Rs 619 (up Rs 9) and L&T at Rs 287 (up Rs 7), too, are up 2% each.

Satyam has moved up nearly 3% (Rs 5) to Rs 206. Infosys is still up a per cent (Rs 29) at Rs 3,517. HCL Tech is trading in a narrow range, and is now up a per cent (Rs 2) at Rs 167.

MTNL is unchanged with gains of nearly 3% (Rs 3) at Rs 131. SBI and HPCL are trading marginally higher at Rs 431 and Rs 362, respectively. BHEL, however, has drifted into the negative zone, losing Rs 3 to Rs 321.

Bajaj dropped 3% (Rs 24) to Rs 689. Telco is still trading in the red at Rs 256 - down Rs 3. Hero Honda, however, is up a rupee at Rs 270.

Ranbaxy has attracted buying in its counter and is now up 2% (Rs 15) at Rs 847. Cipla is trading with a minimal gain of Rs 3 at Rs 852. Dr. Reddy's and Glaxo are trading marginally lower at Rs 1,063 and Rs 410, respectively.

HDFC gained 4% (Rs 20) to Rs 499. Hindalco is unchanged with a gain of a per cent (Rs 9) at Rs 930. ICICI Bank is marginally up at Rs 158. Nestle, however, is still down a per cent (Rs 8) at Rs 579. Tisco and Zee, too, are trading with losses at Rs 256 and Rs 115, respectively.

SCI and Punjab Tractors have gained 3% each to Rs 96 (up Rs 3) and Rs 164 (up Rs 5), respectively.

Sensex @ 11.30

The Sensex, which zoomed past the 4,000-mark in the early morning deals and touched a high of 4,026, has shed some gains on profit-taking, and is now up 29 points at 4,007.

The Nifty, too, has slipped below the 1,300 levels, and is now up three points at 1,284.

Infosys has shed some gains on profit-taking, and is now up a per cent (Rs 47) at Rs 3,535. Satyam and HCL Tech have gained up 2% each to Rs 205 (up Rs 5) and Rs 168 (up Rs 4), respectively.

Reliance has upped its gains by 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 368. HLL is trading with steady gains of 2% (Rs 3) at Rs 185. ITC is marginally up Rs 2 at Rs 772.

MTNL has gained 2% (Rs 3) to Rs 131. HPCL and BHEL are up a per cent each at Rs 364 (up Rs 4) and Rs 328 (up Rs 3), respectively. SBI, too, is up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 433.

Grasim at Rs 612 and Gujarat Ambuja at Rs 232 are up Rs 3 each. While ACC has added Rs 4 to Rs 214, L&T is up Rs 2 at Rs 282.

Bajaj continues to exhibit weakness on selling pressure in its counter, and is still down 2% (Rs 18) at Rs 695. Telco also is trading in negative territory with a loss of Rs 3 at Rs 257. Hero Honda, however, is trading with gains of Rs 3 at Rs 272.

Ranbaxy has added Rs 5 to Rs 836. Dr. Reddy's and Cipla are trading marginally higher at Rs 1,064 and Rs 852, respectively. Glaxo, too, is up a tad at Rs 411.

HDFC has moved up 2% (Rs 10) to Rs 489. Hindalco and ICICI Bank are up a per cent each at Rs 927 (up Rs 6) and Rs 159 (up Rs 2), respectively. Tisco and Zee are up a rupee each at Rs 260 and Rs 116, respectively. Nestle, however, is down a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 582.

Sail, after touching a high of Rs 61, is trading off-gains on profit-taking in its counter, and is now down 6% (Rs 3) at Rs 48. Jindal Steel also has slipped 4% (Rs 32) to Rs 705. Chambal Fertilisers, on fresh buying support has logged 9% gains (Rs 2) to Rs 21.

IDBI Bank has moved up 5% (Rs 2) to Rs 42. Syndicate Bank is trading with steady gains of 4% at Rs 27. BoB has gained 3% (Rs 3) to Rs 130. Kotak Bank, however, has lost nearly 6% (Rs 13) to Rs 218.

Indal, Nalco and RCF have shed 3% each to Rs 165 (down Rs 6), Rs 130 (down Rs 4) and Rs 38, respectively.

Sensex @ 10.30

The Sensex is still up 33 points at 4,011. The NSE Nifty was up 21 points at 1302 points.

Infosys is still up Rs 47 at Rs 3,535. Satyam is steady at Rs 205 - up Rs 4.

HLL has advanced 2% (Rs 3) to Rs 185. Reliance is steady at Rs 363 - up Rs 2. ITC is up a rupee at Rs 771.

SBI has moved up Rs 5 to Rs 435.

Tisco is still up Rs 2 at Rs 261.

Cement scrips are trading with gains.

Bajaj has declined 2% (Rs 14) to Rs 699. Telco is down Rs 2 at Rs 257.

SAIL is still up 9% at Rs 56. Volume continues to sizzle - the counter has already clocked a mammoth volume of 1.38 crore shares.

Syndicate Bank is steady at Rs 27 - up 5%.

Sensex @ 10.00

The Sensex opened with a positive gap of eight points at 3,986. It has zoomed past the 4,000-mark and is up 36 points at 4,014. The Sensex had traded around these levels way back in March 2001.

Infosys has advanced nearly 2% (Rs 59) to Rs 3,547. Satyam is up Rs 5 at Rs 206. HCL has also opened in positive zone.

ITC is up Rs 3 at Rs 774. HLL has gained Rs 2 to Rs 183. Reliance is also up Rs 2 at Rs 363.

SBI has moved up Rs 3 to Rs 433. HPCL and BHEL are also trading with gains.

Tisco continues to add gains, and is up 2% (Rs 5) at Rs 264.

Cement frontliners are trading with gains.

SAIL has vaulted 10% to Rs 56.

Syndicate Bank, which is mulling taking over Karnataka Bank, has added 6% to Rs 27.