<b>Selling continues...</b> Sensex sheds 568pts

Unabated selling in the market saw the Sensex drop to a low of 17,350. The index is now down 568 points at 17,431.

Reliance Energy has tumbled 13.6% to Rs 1,375. BHEL, Bharti Airtel and Maruti have plunged around 7.5% each to Rs 2,015, Rs 944 and Rs 1,065, respectively.

ACC has slumped nearly 6% to Rs 975, and HDFC has shed 5% to Rs 2,325.

Larsen & Toubro has slipped over 4% to Rs 3,020. Reliance and Hindalco have dropped 3.7% each to Rs 2,480 and Rs 180, respectively.

ITC, ICICI Bank, TCS and Tata Steel have declined around 3% each to Rs 177, Rs 1,005, Rs 1,083 and Rs 812, respectively.

Infosys, the only gainer among the index stocks, is up 1% at Rs 1,908.

Out of 2,585 stocks traded so far, 2,081 have declined, 453 have advanced and 51 are unchanged.