Infy drops 6% as market tanks on global cues

The Sensex opened with a huge negative gap of 416 points at 18,247 on weak global cues, and plunged to a low of 17,936 - down 727 points from the previous close - in morning deals.

The index recovered soon, but moved in a range of 18,000-18,200 for most part of the trading session. The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 524 points (2.8%) at 18,139.

The NSE Nifty was down 161 points (2.9%) at 5,323.

The BSE market breadth was negative - out of 2,817 stocks traded, 1,473 declined, 1,304 advanced and 40 were unchanged today.

BIG LOSERS...

Satyam slumped 6.7% to Rs 409, and Wipro plunged 6.5% to Rs 425. Infosys dropped over 6% to Rs 1,511, and TCS was down over 5% at Rs 901.

Hindalco and Maruti shed nearly 5% each to Rs 173 and Rs 830, respectively. ONGC dropped 4.4% to Rs 1,027.

Bharti Airtel slipped nearly 4% to Rs 900. ICICI Bank and HDFC declined over 3% each to Rs 1,153 and Rs 2,976, respectively.

ITC, BHEL and Bajaj Auto dropped 2.7% each to Rs 200, Rs 2,029 and Rs 2,339, respectively.

Reliance and Mahindra & Mahindra slipped around 2.5% each to Rs 2,552 and Rs 664, respectively.

Grasim, Tata Motors and NTPC also slipped around 2.5% each to Rs 2,900, Rs 736 and Rs 218, respectively.

SBI, Larsen & Toubro and Hindustan Unilever declined nearly 2% each to Rs 2,183, Rs 3,781 and Rs 205, respectively.

BUCKING THE TREND...

Reliance Energy ended with a gain of 1.5% at Rs 2,056. Reliance Communications was up Rs 5 at Rs 682.

MOST ACTIVE COUNTERS

Reliance Natural Resources topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 735.60 crore followed by Reliance Petroleum (Rs 243 crore), Reliance Energy (Rs 242.50 crore), Reliance Capital (Rs 239 crore) and Reliance Communications (Rs 210.60 crore).

Reliance Natural Resources led the volume chart with trades of around 4.70 crore shares followed by Ispat Industries (3.40 crore), Nagarjuna Fertilisers (2.45 crore), IFCI (2.06 crore) and Tata Teleservices (1.51 crore).