Sensex down 219pts; Hind Unilever up 5%

The Sensex is now down 219 points at 17,375.

The NSE Nifty is down 121 points at 5,082.

Reliance Energy has slumped 8.5% to Rs 1,820. NTPC has plunged 6.7% to Rs 209.

Maruti has tumbled nearly 5% to Rs 784. DLF has shed 4.4% at Rs 883, and Wipro has slipped over 4% to Rs 413.

ONGC and Grasim have dropped around 3.5% each to Rs 955 and Rs 2,924, respectively.

Hindalco and Cipla have declined 3% each to Rs 156 and Rs 177, respectively. Bajaj Auto has shed 2.5% at Rs 2,160.

Larsen & Toubro and TCS are down 2% each at Rs 3,675 and Rs 850, respectively.

Hindustan Unilever has surged 5.4% to Rs 200. Satyam and HDFC have rallied 2.3% each to Rs 402 and Rs 2,589, respectively.

BHEL and Mahindra & Mahindra have moved up around 1.5% each to Rs 2,180 and Rs 642, respectively.

The market breadth is extremely negative - out of 2,683 stocks traded so far, 2,332 have declined, 315 have advanced and 36 are unchanged.