Mumbai: The Sensex opened firm and later fluctuated erratically during morning trading on the Stock Exchange in Mumbai today (Jul 23, 2004) on alternate bouts of buying and selling in keeping with quarterly results announced by some major corporates.

The BSE Benchmark 30-share Index opened firm at 5073.10 as against yesterday's (Jul 22, 2004) close of 5054.29 and later moved in a range of 5086.03 and 5056.23 before being quoted at 5067.09 at 10.30 hrs (IST), up by 12.80 points.

Investors were engaged in making transactions in blue chip counters in keeping with the quarterly results announced by the concerned companies in the last couple of days, market players said.

The sentiment was also aided by announcement of excellent first quarter results by IT major Wipro this morning.

Tisco, ACC, Reliance Energy and Satyam Computers and some others yesterday announced encouraging first quarter results.

Key counters like Wipro, Satyam Computers, RIL, REL, Hero Honda, Grasim, GACL, BHEL, ACC and Bharti Tele-Venture posted marked gains on fresh buying support.

The market, however, is expected to witness squaring up business in the latter part of the session in view of the last session of the week, they added.