Sensex up 124 pts, Nifty regains 5,100-level in opening trade

Mumbai, Mar 5 (PTI) The benchmark index Sensex Friday
opened over 124 points up while the wide-based Nifty regained
the 5,100-points mark on heavy buying, particularly in
blue-chip stocks.
The Sensex, which had ended lower by 28.31 points
Thursday, gained 124.19 points or 0.73 per cent to 17,095.89
points.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) index Nifty regained
the 5,100-points level by rising 33.50 points or 0.65
per cent to trade at 5,113.75. It had last seen this level on
December 23, 2009, when it had closed at 5,144.60 points.
Brokers said overnight gains in the US stock markets and
a firm opening on other Asian bourses triggered buying.
Besides, covering up of short positions also supported
the upside in stock prices, they added.
Among major gainers, Reliance Industries surged by 0.66
per cent to Rs 1,020.40, Reliance Infra by 0.93 per cent to Rs
1,034.75, DLF Ltd by 1.69 per cent to Rs 309.60, State Bank of
India by 0.88 per cent to Rs 2,050.50, ICICI Bank by 0.97 per
cent to Rs 906.70, BHEL by 0.90 per cent to Rs 2,469 and
Sterlite Industries by 0.72 per cent to Rs 820.15.
Meanwhile, Japan's Nikkei rose 2.07 per cent, while Hong
Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.50 per cent in the morning trade
today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 0.46 per
cent higher. PTI