Sensex down 32pts; Bharti slips 5%

The Sensex from a high of 20,204, tumbled to a low of 19,706 - down 498 points from the day's high. The index is now down 32 points at 19,806.

Bharti Airtel has plunged 4.6% to Rs 960. Hindustan Unilever has tumbled over 4% to Rs 199, and ITC has shed 3% at Rs 174.

Reliance has slipped 2.5% to Rs 2,715. Maruti and Wipro have dropped 1.7% each to Rs 1,055 and Rs 496, respectively.

Hindalco and Reliance Energy have declined 1.5% each to Rs 193 and Rs 1,840, respectively.

HDFC and Tata Motors are down 1.3% each to Rs 2,736 and Rs 748, respectively.

ACC, Dr.Reddy's, Grasim, NTPC, Cipla and Ambuja Cements are the other major losers.

Larsen & Toubro has zoomed over 5% to Rs 4,465. HDFC Bank and ONGC have soared 3% each to Rs 1,705 and Rs 1,285, respectively.

BHEL and Infosys have gained 1.7% each at Rs 2,660 and Rs 1,870, respectively.

Reliance Communications and ICICI Bank are up over 1% each at Rs 781 and Rs 1,270, respectively.

The market breadth is negative - out of 2,671 stocks traded so far, 1,638 have declined, 974 have advanced and 59 are unchanged.