The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 18 points at 5,834, but slipped to a low of 5,819 in early deals. Buying commenced soon after, and the index moved in positive zone right through the session. After touching a high of 5,893, the Sensex finally closed with a gain of 64 points at 5,880.

While 22 index scrips advanced, eight declined today. Advancing shares clocked a volume of 2.75 crore amounting to Rs 1,240 crore, and decliners logged a volume of 1 crore for Rs 365 crore.

The major gainer among sectoral indices was the BSEPSU Index, which zoomed nearly 4% (148 points) to 3,907.

ONGC was firm right through the session, and finished with a gain of more than 5% (Rs 42) at Rs 802. HPCL zoomed nearly 6% (Rs 28) to Rs 499. BHEL gained nearly 3% (Rs 16) to Rs 609. SBI was up 2% (Rs 11) at Rs 616.

Reliance advanced nearly 2% (Rs 12) to Rs 586. While HLL was up a notch at Rs 158, ITC was down a rupee at Rs 1,167.

Tata scrips logged gains. Tata Motors was up 2% (Rs 10) at Rs 534. While Tata Power zoomed more than 5% (Rs 20) to Rs 397, Tisco added 3% (Rs 13) to Rs 443.

ACC added more than 3% (Rs 9) to Rs 273. Grasim was up Rs 27 at Rs 1,185. Gujarat Ambuja and L&T also moved up today.

Hero Honda moved up 3% (Rs 14) to Rs 535. Bajaj was up Rs 4 at Rs 928.

Infosys slipped more than a per cent (Rs 55) to Rs 5,241. Wipro was down more than 2% (Rs 33) at Rs 1,484.

Zee lost 4% (Rs 5) to Rs 125.

PSU scrips attracted considerable buying interest today. Dredging Corporation vaulted nearly 20% to Rs 589 - a gain of Rs 98. RCF advanced 9% to Rs 48. Neyvelli Lignite, MRPL, EIL, HMT, FACT, IOC, BPCL and National Fertilisers closed with sharp gains today.

IOB jumped 8% to Rs 44. BoB moved up 2% to Rs 234. BoI, OBC, UCO, Canara and Union Bank also finished at higher levels.