The Sensex is up 214.10 points or 0.7 percent at 29309.03, and the Nifty is up 58.75 points or 0.7 percent at 8864.25. About 1290 shares have advanced, 877 shares declined, and 174 shares are unchanged.

The sharemarket continues to remain firm. The Sensex is up 165.44 points at 29260.37 and the Nifty is up 42.95 points at 8848.45. About 1144 shares have advanced, 739 shares declined, and 158 shares are unchanged. Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Sesa Sterlite, HUL and Coal India are top gainers in the Senssex. Among the losers are Sun Pharma, BHEL, L&T, NTPC and Infosys. Oil prices were mixed with traders optimistic over falling US production, although they remain on edge as analysts warn of continued volatility.

WTI jumped USD 1.57 and Brent crude gained USD 2.24 on Friday after data showed another drop in the number of oil rigs in operation in the United States.

Japan’s Nikkei share average rose to a near eight-year high, helped by Wall Street’s gains, while investors digested weaker-than-expected domestic growth data. The Nikkei rose 0.8 percent to 18,031.84 points at midday, after reaching as high as 18,074.26 earlier, the highest level since July 2007. Japan’s economy rebounded from recession in the final quarter of last year but growth was weaker than expected as household and corporate spending disappointed, underlining the challenge premier Shinzo Abe faces in shaking off decades of stagnation.

Coustery : http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/local-markets/sensex-gains-over-150-pts-hul-tata-motors-jump-2_1304091.html