D-Street Newsmakers: Sugar stocks, Siemens, Zydus Lifesciences among 10 stocks that hogged limelight today

Indian equities in a highly volatile market paused their relentless record-breaking spree in Monday’s session (December 18) amid profit booking. Nifty ended 0.18 per cent, or 38 points, lower at 21,418.65, while Sensex dropped 0.24 per cent, or 168.66 points, and settled at 71,315. Meanwhile, broader markets continued to hit new highs, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 index logging gains of 0.6 per cent.

Here are the 10 stocks that buzzed most in trade on December 18.

Archean Chemical: Shares of the specialty chemical company ended over 3 per cent weak at Rs 610.25 amid heavy volumes in the counter.

Sugar stocks: Sugar stocks spurted today after the Centre reversed its previously imposed ban on using sugarcane juice to make ethanol. Dhampur Sugar Mills gained over 12 per cent in intra-day trade.

Sandur Manganese: Shares of the company were locked in the 10 per cent upper circuit at Rs 2,545.7 as the company’s board approved a 5:1 bonus share issue.

Zydus Lifesciences: After hitting a fresh 52-week high of Rs 682.3, the stock ended over five per cent higher at Rs 680.7. The company got approval from the US FDA to initiate a Phase II clinical trial for ZTIL1. The drug will be used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Solar Industries: Shares of the company reversed their day’s losses and ended a tad lower at Rs 6,865.1, down 0.2 per cent. Early on Sunday morning, a blast occurred at one of the factories run by the company.

DroneAcharya Aerial: The stock of the company ended 0.44 per cent higher at Rs 207.05 after it bagged a contract from the Ministry of Defence, Department of Military Affairs, Jammu & Kashmir, for the supply of drone lab equipment.

Siemens: Shares of the company ended firm with gains of over 6 per cent at Rs 4,140 as the company’s board, in its meeting held today, authorised the company to begin exploratory steps as may be required to examine a potential demerger of the company’s energy business.

Vedanta: Ahead of the announcement of the second interim dividend, the stock ended over 1 per cent higher at Rs 260.6 per share.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders: Shares of the defence PSU ended over 2 per cent higher at Rs 2,126.15 as the company inked a $42 million deal with a European client.

Mankind Pharma: Shares of the pharma major ended in the green, gaining over 2 per cent to Rs 1,928.6 as the company raised its stake in the UK-headquartered Actimed Therapeutics