Markets extend losses

The markets have weakened a wee bit more in the last few minutes of trades owing to fresh selling in IT and metal stocks. The Sensex is now near the day's low at 17,758 - down 118 points.

The NSE Nifty is down 30 points at 5,323.

The BSE Metal index has dropped 1.7% to 15,318. The IT index is down over 1% at 5,372.

Sterlite has shed 2.7% at Rs 179. Hindalco and Jindal Steel have slipped nearly 2% each to Rs 151 and Rs 674, respectively.

Tata Motors and Jaiprakash Associates have declined around 1.5% each to Rs 795 and Rs 132, respectively.

Wipro, TCS, Infosys, ACC, Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro are the other prominent losers.

Hindustan Unilever and ITC have advanced 1% each to Rs 262 and Rs 302, respectively.

The market breadth is marginally negative - out of 2,612 stocks traded so far, 1,331 have declined, 1,168 have advanced on the BSE.