Sensex breaks 18K, slumps 1,100pts

The Sensex has tumbled over 1,000 points and has broken the 18,000-mark. The index is now down 1,099 points at 17,914.

Update at 1250 hrs

The Sensex has once again slipped deeper into red and is now down 797 points at 18,217.

DLF and NTPC have slumped over 7% each to Rs 935 and Rs 222, respectively.

Bajaj Auto and Reliance Communications have plunged around 6% each to Rs 2,283 and Rs 661, respectively.

ICICI Bank has tumbled 5.7% to Rs 1,175.

Cipla, Larsen & Toubro and Tata Motors have slipped around 5% each to Rs 192, Rs 3,730 and Rs 678, respectively.

ONGC, Hindalco and Reliance have dropped nearly 4% each to Rs 1,116, Rs 178 and Rs 2,694, respectively.

ITC, Tata Steel and ACC have shed 3.7% each to Rs 205, Rs 753 and Rs 833, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Wipro, TCS, Infosys and Bharti Airtel are the other major losers all down over 3% each.

Out of 2,729 stocks traded so far, 2,529 have declined, 181 have advanced and 19 are unchanged.