Sensex down 354pts; NTPC drops 3%

The Sensex is now down 354 points at 18,926.

ICICI Bank has slumped 5% to Rs 1,109. HDFC Bank and Maruti have tumbled 3.3% each to Rs 1,578 and Rs 977, respectively.

NTPC has dropped over 3% to Rs 252. Mahindra & Mahindra, BHEL, Reliance Energy and Larsen & Toubro have shed 2.8% each at Rs 710, Rs 2,579, Rs 1,744 and Rs 4,215, respectively.

Tata Steel, SBI and ONGC have slipped 2% each to Rs 842, Rs 2,236 and Rs 1,199, respectively.

Hindalco and Grasim have declined 1.8% each to Rs 191 and Rs 3,700, respectively.

TCS, however, has advanced over 1% to Rs 974.

Out of 2,755 stocks traded so far, 1,830 have declined, 875 have advanced and 50 are unchanged.