Markets end higher

The market ended on a firm note led by gains in index heavyweights. HDFC Bank soared. Tata Steel moved up. Metal, power and capital goods stocks were at the forefront of the market rally. Market breadth was strong. European markets, which opened after Indian market, were in green. Asian markets, which opened before Indian market, were firm.

The 30-share BSE Sensex surged 394.67 points or 2.09% to 19,247.54.The broader based S&P CNX Nifty rose 123.01 points or 2.19% to 5731.70.

HDFC bank soared 5.27% to Rs 1645, Tata Steel gained 4.10% to Rs 854.10, Bharti Airtel rose 4.02% to Rs 950.20, Hindalco Industries was up 3.70% to Rs 195 and Reliance Energy rose 3.40% to Rs 1783.70.

India’s largest private sector firm and oil refiner Reliance Industries rose 2.37% to Rs 2878. ICICI Bank, India's biggest private sector bank in terms of net profit, rose 1.01% to Rs 1151.90. India’s second largest software exporter by sales Infosys Technologies gained 1.16% to Rs 1576.

Reliance Petroleum ended 2.60% lower at Rs 204.05 on huge volumes of 2.46 crore shares on BSE.India’s second largest telecom service provider Reliance Communications moved up 0.87% to Rs 687.90. The company reportedly plans to sell another 5% stake in its wireless tower business in the second such transaction in this calendar year.

India’s largest commercial lender State Bank of India fell 0.99% to Rs 2242.25. India's biggest truck maker by revenue Tata Motors slipped 0.23% to Rs 713.