Sensex down 306pts; TCS advances 3%

The Sensex is now down 306 points at 19,945.

The NSE Nifty has also drifted below the 6,000-mark and is now down 115 points at 5,959.

HDFC Bank has plunged over 5% to Rs 1,692. Reliance Communications has tumbled 4.5% to Rs 742.

Tata Motors and Hindalco have slumped 4% each to Rs 738 and Rs 190, respectively.

Maruti has shed 3.5% at Rs 838. Reliance Energy and Tata Steel have dropped over 3% each to Rs 2,291 and Rs 826, respectively.

Wipro and BHEL have slipped 2.8% each to Rs 447 and Rs 2,348, respectively.

DLF, NTPC and Reliance have declined over 2% each to Rs 1,148, Rs 268 and Rs 3,092, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra is down nearly 2% at Rs 722. HDFC and Bharti Airtel are the other prominent losers at Rs 2,855 and Rs 845, respectively.

TCS, however, has surged 2.5% to Rs 962. ACC has advanced 1.3% at Rs 885.