The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 15 points at 4,410, and immediately dipped to the day's low of 4,379.

The index was weak and moved in a range-bound mode till late noon deals on selling in techs and select old and new economy stocks.

However, a late flurry of buying in select PSUs, pharma and heavyweights saw the index bounce from lows and spurt to an intra-day high of 4,438.

The Sensex finally settled with a gain of nine points at 4,434. The Nifty also ended in positive territory at 1,409 - up two points.

While 20 Sensex stocks advanced, 10 declined today. The traded volume and value of the index scrips were lower at 2.66 crore and Rs 891.94 crore, respectively.

PSU frontliners firmed up on fresh buying support. SBI mopped up gains towards the closing hours, and advanced 2% (Rs 10) to Rs 448.

The banking major clocked a volume of more than 13 lakh on the BSE with a turnover of Rs 61 crore. While BHEL added 2% (Rs 5) to Rs 349, HPCL closed up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 416. MTNL logged nearly 4% gains (Rs 4) to Rs 129.

Heavyweights largely finished with gains. ITC moved up a per cent (Rs 11) to Rs 840. HLL edged higher towards the closing hours to finish with a gain of Rs 3 at Rs 193. Reliance, however, ended at lower levels at Rs 435 - down Rs 3.

Cement and auto stocks bounced from lows and finished with gains.

L&T notched up 2% gains (Rs 7) to Rs 307. Grasim added a per cent (Rs 4) to Rs 637. Gujarat Ambuja and ACC ended up a rupee each at Rs 234 and Rs 215, respectively.

Hero Honda (up 2% or Rs 7 to Rs 291), Telco (up 2% or Rs 5 to Rs 287) and Bajaj (up Rs 4 to Rs 709) ended with decent gains after displaying weak trends for better part of the trading session.

Pharma pivotals ended on a mixed note, Dr. Reddy's and Cipla ended with gains at Rs 1,191 (up Rs 17) and Rs 1,019 (up Rs 19 or 2%), respectively. Ranbaxy and Glaxo ended down a rupee each at Rs 1,051 and Rs 453, respectively.

Tech stocks ended weak. Infosys (down 4% or Rs 195 to Rs 4,292) and HCL Tech (down 2% or Rs 4 to Rs 213) finished in negative zones. More than 3 lakh Infosys shares were traded on the BSE today with a turnover of Rs 138 crore. Satyam closed up a tad at Rs 246 after trading in the red for better part of the trading session.

HDFC moved up 2% (Rs 11) to Rs 507. Tisco closed up a rupee at Rs 259. Nestle, however, reeled under selling pressure to finish with a loss of 2% (Rs 14) at Rs 580. While Zee dropped 3% to Rs 108, Hindalco was down Rs 3 at Rs 907.

Wipro lost ground on selling pressure to finish with a loss of 3% (Rs 34) at Rs 1,263. Mphasis shed 3% (Rs 15) to Rs 429. While Mastek lost 2% (Rs 5) to Rs 237, Digital closed down a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 534. Hughes also declined a per cent (Rs 6) to Rs 355.

HCL Infosys shot up 14% (Rs 29) to Rs 232. Moser Baer gained 4% (Rs 12) to Rs 332.

Hexaware gained 3% (Rs 6) to Rs 234. The company today announced the divestment of its entire stake in the US-based Menorix Technologies to Lionbridge Technologies for an approximate amount of $7.5 million and netting a profit of over $4 million.

Oil PSUs finished firm on buying support. IOC jumped 5% (Rs 18) to Rs 400. BPCL advanced 4% (Rs 12) to Rs 343. ONGC ended nearly 2% higher (Rs 11) at Rs 688. IBP, which spurted to a high of Rs 712 and slipped to a low of Rs 587, ended up a rupee at Rs 683.

M&M moved up 6% (Rs 13) to Rs 215, and the news that it had lost its bid for Valtra did not have any impact on the stock.