The key benchmark indices advanced today in line with the markets across the globe. The benchmark Sensex was up 133 points at 14,383 levels and the Nifty was up 40 points at 4,272 levels.

Realty, auto, power and metal stocks witnessed some buying interest. The realty index on the BSE gained 1.9 per cent and the auto index rose 1.4 per cent. The BSE power index gained 1.3 per cent.

Among the Sensex stocks, Tata Motors led the gainers. The stock advanced 3.3 per cent in early trade today. Reliance Infra, Hindalco and ICICI Bank were the other main gainers in the pack, up more than 2 per cent each.

However, Sterlite Industries fell 3 per cent and was the biggest loser in the pack.

On Wall Street, the tech-laden Nasdaq composite index advanced for the seventh straight day and closed at its highest level since October as traders prepared for profit reports from Internet search company Google Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. Both posted better-than-expected profits after the closing bell. The index rose 22.13, or 1.2 percent, to 1,885.03, its best finish since Oct. 3.

The Dow rose 95.61, or 1.1 percent, to 8,711.82, its highest close since June 12. The blue chips are now down only 0.7 percent for the year.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 8.06, or 0.9 percent, to 940.74. The Nasdaq rose 22.13, or 1.2 percent, to 1,885.03, its best finish since Oct. 3.

Asian markets were also trading mostly higher today. Hong Kongs Hang Seng and Japans Nikkei were up over 0.6 per cent each. Chinas Shanghai Composite, however, was trading with modest losses.