Sensex down 170pts; ITC surges 2%

The Sensex is now down 170 points at 19,554.

Bharti Airtel has slumped 6% to Rs 887. HDFC and ICICI Bank has shed 2.6% each to Rs 2,625 and Rs 1,265, respectively.

Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hindalco have slipped around 2% each to Rs 980, Rs 749 and Rs 184, respectively.

Wipro has declined 1.7% to Rs 491. Cipla and Reliance are down 1.4% each at Rs 174 and Rs 2,635, respectively.

ITC has surged 2.4% to Rs 176. Larsen & Toubro and NTPC have moved up nearly 2% each to Rs 4,510 and Rs 236, respectively.

SBI and Tata Steel are up over 1% each at Rs 2,095 and Rs 894, respectively.

Out of 2,100 stocks traded so far, 1,173 have declined, 890 have advanced and 37 are unchanged.