Sensex below 16K, down 547pts

The Sensex has tumbled below the 16,000-mark, and is now down 547 points at 15,995.

The NSE Nifty is down 156 points at 4,765.

Reliance Energy has slumped 7% to Rs 1,356. ICICI Bank has tumbled 6% to Rs 902.

Maruti has shed nearly 5% at Rs 895. DLF and HDFC Bank have dropped 4.5% each to Rs 650 and Rs 1,276, respectively.

Hindalco and Satyam have slipped over 4% each to Rs 200 and Rs 416, respectively.

Reliance Communications, SBI and NTPC have declined 3.7% each to Rs 508, Rs 1,787 and Rs 188, respectively.

Bajaj Auto, Wipro, Infosys and Tata Motors are down over 3% each to Rs 2,057, Rs 416, Rs 1,427 and Rs 680, respectively.