The year 2009 started on a positive note with the benchmark Sensex gaining by over 73 points during the opening trade on hopes of further decline in the inflationary figures and firming trends on the worldwide markets.

The Bombay Stock Exchange barometer, which lost 68.85 points on the last session of 2008, gained 73.24 points at 9,720.55 points in the opening trade with all the sectoral indices, led by metal consumer durables and realty, trading in the positive zone.

The Midcap barometer has moved up by 1.5%, while the Smallcap index has came up by 1.76%.

At 11:05 a.m., the 30-share index Sensex gained 83.85 points at 9731.16, while the Nifty has posted a gain of 22.65 points at 2981.80.

Sterlite Industries, Hindalco, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, Jaiprakash Associates and Satyam Computer Services have gained 2% - 4.5%.

Reliance Industries, Reliance Communication, Reliance Infrastructure, ONGC, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Tata Consultancy Services and BHEL were up by 1% - 2%.

Other gainers which supported the Sensex were DLF, Grasim Industries, Larsen & Toubro and Infosys Technologies, India Infoline, NDTV, Essar Oil, United Breweries, Jai Corp, Triveni Engineering, Rolta India, SAIL, Patni Computer Services, Sterlite Industries, Welspun Gujarat, Mangalore Refineries & Petrochemicals, Bajaj Hindustan, Aban Offshore, NMDC, Marico, Sintex Industries, Voltas, Ispat Industries and Edelweiss Capital.

Marketmen said that trading reaction turned better in anticipation that the inflation rate might fall further and the administration might declare more sops in its second stimulus package to be announced shortly, to perk up the somnolent economic system.