Hindalco, Ashok Leyland and SKS Micro among top 8 stocks that trended today

The domestic markets ended higher on Friday as hopes the government would look for a compromise with opposition leaders to pass a key reform on a goods and services tax (GST) lifted sentiment.

The S&P BSE Sensex settled the day above its crucial psychological level of 26,000, up 169.57 points at 26,128.20, while the broader CNX Nifty ended at 7,942.70, up 58.90.

Market breadth remained positive with 21 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in green.

Here are top stocks that were in focus today:

1. Hindalco: Shares of Hindalco jumped 3.26 per cent in Friday's trade after the Jharkhand government said it would soon allow the company to commence mining in Hisri.
   
2. IDBI Bank: Shares of IDBI Bank ended 4 per cent higher even as a section of employees of public sector lender went on strike to oppose the government's plan to privatise the troubled lender on the lines of Axis Bank.
3. SKS Microfinance: Shares of SKS Microfinance rose over 7 per cent in trade on Friday after the microfinance company reduced interest rate chanrged to borrowers from 20.75% to 19.75% with effect from December 7, becoming the first MFI to charge sub-20% interest rate. The stock ended the day 7.23 per cent up after hitting an intraday high of 456.10, up 7.57 per cent on BSE.
   
4. Polaris Consulting & Services: Capital markets regulator SEBI has ordered impounding of alleged 'unlawful gains' of over Rs 2 crore from Polaris's promoter Arun Jain and its former CFO R Srikanth after finding them guilty in an insider trading case. The stock ended 1.65 per cent higher.
   
5. United Breweries: Heineken International BV, the maker of Heineken beer, has increased its stake in United Breweries as it bought shares worth Rs 39.48 crore in the company through an open market transaction. The scrip settled the day 1.68 per cent higher.
   
6. Ashok Leyland: Shares of Ashok Leyland surged 4 per cent in trade on Friday after the Hinduja Group flagship company received an order worth around Rs 1,331 crore from the West African country Cote D'Ivoire for the supply of 3,600 trucks and buses. The stock ended 3.67 per cent higher after hitting an intraday high of Rs 97.80, up 3.96 per cent on BSE.
   
7. Union Bank of India: Union Bank of India shares gained 3.95 per cent after it tied up with Maharashtra for over-the-counter (OTC) collection of taxes and receipts.
8. Welspun Corp: Shares of pipemaker Welspun Corp surged over 12 per cent in Friday's session after the company said it had bagged an order for supply of 216K MTs line pipes for an onshore project in the US. The stock ended 10.45 per cent higher.