The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 238 points 11,245, and is now down 320 points at 11,163 on the back of significant weakness in metal stocks.
Sterlite has slumped 9% to Rs 296, and Tata Steel has tumbled over 8% to Rs 280.
Jaiprakash Associates has shed 6% at Rs 80. Infosys, Reliance Communications and Reliance Infrastructure have plunged around 5% each to Rs 1,325, Rs 256 and Rs 602, respectively.
Satyam has dropped 4.7% to Rs 276. Hindalco, ICICI Bank and HDFC have slipped 4% each to Rs 82, Rs 429 and Rs 1,766, respectively.
Maruti has declined nearly 4% to Rs 692, and Larsen & Toubro is down 3.5% at Rs 968.