Sensex ends down 395pts, SBI drops 4%

Mirroring weakness in the global markets, the Sensex opened marginally lower at 18,795 - down 19 points. The index moved into positive zone in morning deals, and touched a new all-time intra-day high of 18,845 - up 31 points from the previous close. The index, however, was unable to hold gains, and profit-taking in noon deals saw the index tumble to a low of 18,336 - down 509 points from the day's high. The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 395 points at 18,419 after having gained 1,323 points in the last three trading days. The BSE Bankex and the Capital Goods indices dropped 2.7% each to 9311 and 16,615, respectively. The FMCG index plunged 2% to 2142. The Auto and IT indices were down over 1.5% each to 5515 and 4688, respectively. The market breadth was negative - out of 2,801 stocks traded, 1,693 declined, 1,052 advanced and the rest were unchanged today. INDEX SHAKERS... SBI tumbled over 4% to Rs 1,862. Larsen & Toubro, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, BHEL and Cipla dropped around 3.5% each to Rs 3,361, Rs 802, Rs 1,053, Rs 2,341 and Rs 185, respectively. Reliance Communications and Bajaj Auto slipped 3% each to Rs 718 and Rs 2,542, respectively. Bharti Airtel and Reliance slipped 2.5% each to Rs 1,069 and Rs 2,567, respectively. Infosys and Dr. Reddy's declined 2.3% each to Rs 1,930 and Rs 615, respectively. ITC, NTPC, Satyam, HDFC, Maruti and Hindustan Unilever were down 2% each to Rs 185, Rs 217, Rs 439, Rs 2,471, Rs 1,097 and Rs 221, respectively. ...AND THE MOVERS

Reliance Energy and ONGC surged over 2% each to Rs 1,636 and Rs 1,092, respectively. Mahindra & Mahindra and Hindalco gained 1.7% each at Rs 828 and Rs 179, respectively. VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS Reliance topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 907 crore followed by Reliance Energy (Rs 575.30 crore), Reliance Petro (Rs 396.20 crore), Reliance Capital (Rs 394.30 crore) and Reliance Natural Resources (Rs 386.70 crore). Reliance Natural Resources led the volume chart with trades of around four crore shares followed by Power Grid (2.65 crore), Reliance Petro (2.22 crore), Ispat Industries (1.43 crore) and Arvind Mills (1.21 crore).