The markets continue to trade firm in the noon deals on back of buying in the metal, oil & gas and power stocks the BSE 30 share index- Sensex is up 172 points at 20,139 and Nifty is at 6051 up 58 points.

Tata Motors is the top gainer amo0ng the Sensex stocks trading higher by more than 4% at Rs 1369, Hindalco Industries, Jaiprakash Associates, Tata Steel and Jindal Steel are the top gainers on the sensex, up more than3.3% each. At the same time Hero Honda, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and ITC are significant losers on the sensex

BSE Metal index leads the sectoral pack, the index is at 16,633 up 443 points followed by oil & gas, power and auto indices up more than 1% each. Meanwhile the BSE banking index- bankex is the only index which is trading lower, trhe index has shed 80 points at 13,986.

Welspun Corp continues to lead the rally among the metal stocks, the stock is trading at Rs 172 higher by more than 7.5%, JSW Steel, Hindalco Industries, Jindal Steel and Tata Steel are the top gainers aqmong the metal stocks.

The broader markets are witnessing a bout of profit booking the BSE small-cap index which touched the intra-day high of 9999 is currently higher by eight points at 9867 while the mid-cap is higher by 44 points at 7927.

The overall market breadth continues to remain positive as 1656 stocks are advancing while 1180 stocks are declining.