Sensex down 256pts; Bharti plunges 6%

The Sensex is now down 256 points at 20,472.

Bharti Airtel has tumbled over 6% to Rs 851. ICICI Bank has plunged over 4% to Rs 1,349.

Hindalco has shed 2% at Rs 198. NTPC and Reliance Communications have dropped 1.7% each to Rs 280 and Rs 792, respectively.

Ambuja Cements, Mahindra & Mahindra and Reliance have slipped around 1.5% each to Rs 136, Rs 744 and Rs 3,171, respectively.

DLF and TCS have declined 1.3% each to Rs 1,189 and Rs 949, respectively.

ITC and Larsen & Toubro are also down over 1% each at Rs 222 and Rs 4,124, respectively.

Maruti has advanced 1.6% to Rs 869.

The market breadth has turned negative - out of 2,748 stocks traded so far, 1,389 have declined, 1,313 have advanced and 46 are unchanged.