The market breadth was tilted towards the positive on the BSE, with 1,566 stocks rising compared to 907 declining. Eighty-three remained unchanged.

Among prominent gainers on the Sensex at this time were ONGC up 5.74 percent at Rs.1,162.70; Tata Motors up 5.61 percent at Rs.417.60; SBI up 4.55 percent at Rs.1,801.20; and Sterlite up 3.88 percent at Rs.651.

There were only four losers on the 30-scrip Sensex: Bharti Airtel down 0.71 percent at Rs.420.50; NTPC down 0.23 percent at Rs.216.80; Hero Honda down 0.1 percent at Rs.1,638 and ACC down 0.09 percent at Rs.873.50.

In other Asian markets, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average, a key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed up at 10,356.83 points, up 191.62 points.

However, the Hang Seng, the primary index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was ruling in the green at 20,618.29 points, up 384.21 points.