The markets have extended losses in the last half-hour or so. The Sensex is now down 187 points at 17,783. The Nifty is down 57 points at 5,317.
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(Updated at 1230 hrs)
There is no respite in selling pressure in the afternoon trades. The profit-booking which had emerged post the Sensex's ascendancy past the 18-k mark has spilled over and gained momentum in today's session. The Sensex is now trading near the lowest point of the day, weaker by 125 points at 17844, and the Nifty is at 5339, down 39 points.
The broader markets remain relatively unscathed, though. While they have pared their gains, the mid-cap index is still up marginally at 7055 and the small-cap space is richer by 0.4% at 9025.
The opening was soft, given the weakness in the US and on the Asian front, and in continuation of the profit-booking that emerged after the Sensex breached the 18k mark on the previous day. And the indices have been languishing below the dotted line thereafter.
Tata Motors has hit a virtual roadblock and is now down 1.9% at Rs 777 on the BSE. Hindalco has shed 1.8% at Rs 180 and HDFC has lost 1.5% at Rs 2762. ONGC, Bharti Airtel and L&T are the other significant losers. And index heavyweight RIL is down 0.3% at Rs 1124.
DLF has strengthened by 0.8% at Rs 334, M&M has added 0.8% at Rs 534 and Infosys is up 0.8% at Rs 2666.
And the market breadth remains positive, with 1503 advancing stocks as against 1204 declines.
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