The 30-share benchmark index Sensex continued to remain in the positive zone amid concerns over US fiscal cliff and weak Eurozone economic activity. Asian share markets remained steady, while Japanese stocks rallied for a second day on expectations of further monetary policy easing after an election next month.

Telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular extended gains after 2G spectrum auction. Healthcare giant Biocon also gained in the morning trade after the company entered into option agreement with Bristol-Myers for IN-105, an oral insulin drug candidate.

The top sector gainers on BSE were capital goods, oil and gas, IT and metals, while stocks of auto sector remained under pressure.

At 10:30AM, BSE SENSEX was trading at 18542.35, up by 70.98 points and the NSE’s wide-based Nifty was trading at 5641.4, up by 10.4 points.

The BSE MIDCAP was trading at 6757.99, up by 39.89 points, while the BSE SMLCAP was trading at 7219.27, up by 27.28 points.

The top gainers of the BSE Sensex pack were Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Rs. 297.55,+2.25%), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (Rs. 376.40,+2.07%), Infosys Ltd. (Rs. 2333.00,+1.70%), ITC Ltd. (Rs. 280.25,+1.34%), Oil And Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 256.20,+1.07%), among others.

The top losers of the BSE Sensex pack were Cipla Ltd. (Rs. 383.90,-1.35%), Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (Rs. 782.90,-0.74%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (Rs. 1047.70,-0.64%), Tata Motors Ltd. (Rs. 270.55,-0.62%), GAIL (India) Ltd. (Rs. 351.00,-0.62%), among others.