Calcutta, June 15 :    Calcutta, June 15:  B.K. Birla promoted Century Textiles is buzzing on the bourses. Over the last 10 trading sessions, around 40 per cent of the company's 9.3 crore shares have changed hands on the BSE and NSE. The promoters control 45.36 per cent. Only 54.64 per cent of the shares are traded on the bourses, and the volume of transaction in respect of the free float is 73.2 per cent. The spurt in volume was accompanied by a 68 per cent gain in price. From June 3-the day the rally started-the price of the stock has moved up by over Rs 27 to around Rs 66.50. There are diverse explanations to this. Some brokers feel the interest in the stock is purely speculative. 'The Birla group companies, including Kesoram Industries and Hindustan Motors, flare up once in a while on the back of speculative buying. Century looks like no exception,' a leading stockbroker in Calcutta said. It is obvious that part of the transacted volume over the last 10 trading sessions was on account of speculative buying. The total volume traded on the two bourses exceeds the 37.17 per cent public holding in the firm. Institutions-including mutual funds-hold 17.47 per cent. In February 2001, a similar flare up was noticed in the Kesoram Industries stock when a Dubai-based investment banker Shiv Kumar had reportedly cornered over 10 per cent of the firm's stock through various friends and associates. This forced the promoters to rake up their stake and Shiv Kumar exited after making a profit. Soon after the promoters launched a buyback programme. Also buzzing on Lyons' Range and Dalal Street is the rumour that the promoters and their associates were buying the stock from the market. 'It looks like a promoter-driven rally,' said a broker. No confirmation for creeping acquisition could be obtained from the management. Another speculation is that the firm was planning to undertake steps towards restructuring its operations, which could include selling off two ships. No confirmation could be obtained from the management on this.