The 30-share BSE index, which has gained nearly 332 points in the past four sessions, gained another 48.09 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 18,810.96 in the early trade with stocks of health care, IT, technology, FMCG, realty and power companies leading the uptick.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty Index moved up by 11.70 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 5,715.90.

Brokers said sustained buying activity in select stocks having strong fundamentals, mainly bolstered the trading sentiments but a weak trend in the Asian region, capped the gains on the domestic boures here.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell by 0.71 per cent and Japan's Nikkei Index was down by 0.44 per cent in the morning trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.15 per cent higher yesterday.

GLOBAL MARKETS ROUND UP

Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange rose 0.01 percent. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index excluding Japan fell 0.06 percent.

U.S. stocks advanced modestly on Monday in light trading in one of the year's quietest sessions on the day before the U.S. presidential election.

Asian shares and the dollar steadied on Tuesday with investors' risk appetite curbed by uncertainty over the outcome of the tight U.S. presidential election and renewed doubts over Greece's political ability to push through severe fiscal reforms.

FACTORS TO WATCH

Earnings on Tuesday: Tata Power, Hindalco , Indian Hotel, Oil India.

India's inter-ministerial panel will hold a 2-day review on coal block allocations to 31 state-run companies.

INDIAN STOCKS TO WATCH

TOP NEWS

India's central bank may ease monetary policy as early as January, Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Monday, as price pressures ease in Asia's third-largest economy in the first part of next year on the back of slower growth.

Diageo Plc is set to pick up a 51 percent stake in United Spirits Ltd this week for about $2 billion, according to two UB Group executives and two investment bankers, none of whom wanted to be identified, the Mint newspaper reported.

FINANCIAL/REGULATORY

The government is planning to raise around 14 billion rupees by selling a 12.15 percent stake in National Aluminum Company Ltd on Friday, as it seeks to urgently revive the stuttering disinvestment programme, two persons familiar with the process said.

ENERGY/COMMODITIES

Petroleum minister Veerappa Moily said audits of oil and gas blocks are integral to the contractual obligation and KG-D6 operator Reliance Industries Ltd will have to abide by it.

Gujarat Gas Co Ltd's July-September net profit rose 23.6 percent to 994.8 millionrupees from a year ago.

PHARMA

Cipla Ltd's July-September net profit rose 61.8 percent to 5 billion rupees from a year ago.

Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd's July-September net profit rose 91.5 percent to 1.52 billion rupees from a year ago.

TELECOM

India has been left with no bidders for part of an upcoming cellphone airwaves auction after Tata Teleservices became the second company to drop out of the process.

IT

Tech Mahindra Ltd beat expectations with a 23.3 percent rise in second-quarter profit, boosted by increased client spending and a good performance at its unit Satyam Computer Services Ltd.

AUTOS

Tata Group and the Montezomolo family of the Fiat Group are looking to revive their Indian joint venture, Fiat India Automobiles, by setting off accumulated losses of 3 billion rupees and restructuring its operations, three company and industry executives with direct knowledge of the development said.

Workers from Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant are planning a hunger strike and other peaceful protests to force the management to take back the 548 employees sacked after this year's July's violence, a union official said.

MEDIA

Reliance Broadcast Network announced its foray into Australia with the launch of 'Big Magic International' television channel.

OTHER FACTORS TO WATCH

Indian debt/FX factors to watch

Euro hampered by worries over Greece; Aussie awaits RBA

Brent crude jumps nearly 2 pct as US gasoline rallies

Foreign institutional investor flows