Sensex crashes 78 pts in early trades

The Sensex opened lower at 6,457 - down nine points over its last close. An across-the-board selling pressure dragged the index below the 6,400-mark to an early low of 6,381.

The Sensex is now down 78 points at 6,388, while the Nifty has shed 24 points to 1,967.

Infosys has tumbled 3.26% (Rs 67) to Rs 1,997, and Satyam is weak at Rs 427 - down Rs 2. Wipro is down a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 649.

ONGC has lost 1.70% (Rs 15) to Rs 857, and ITC is down a per cent (Rs 9) at Rs 1,470. Reliance, however, has resumed in the green at Rs 528 - up Rs 2.

HDFC Bank has shed 1.61% (Rs 9) to Rs 528, and ICICI Bank is down 1.51% (Rs 6) at Rs 390. SBI is down a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 623.

Tata Motors has dropped 2% (Rs 9) to Rs 437, and Bajaj has slipped 1.41% (Rs 17) to Rs 1,161. Other auto majors, too, have commenced lower.

Bharti has lost 2.25% (Rs 5) to Rs 215, while BHEL has declined 2.11% (Rs 18) to Rs 845.

Cement and pharma stocks, too, have lost ground in early trades.