Among prominent gainers on the Sensex at this time were M&M up 2.05 percent at Rs.839.70; TCS up 1.73 percent at Rs.488.05; Hero Honda up 1.68 percent at Rs.1,072; and ONGC up 1.04 percent at Rs.1,113.80.

Losers included DLF down 5.07 percent at Rs.404.50; Tata Motors down 4.03 percent at Rs.397.50; Sterlite down 3.57 percent at Rs.634, and Reliance Infra down 3.48 percent at Rs.1,167.90.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed marginally up with investors turning cautious as more corporate results were awaited. It ended trade at 10,113.24 points, up 25.98 points.

However, the Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling in the red at 20,289.1 points, down 335.44 points.