Sensex down 357pts; RIL, RCom slip 2%

The Sensex is now down 357 points at 19,674.

Bharti Airtel has plunged nearly 5% to Rs 906. ONGC and Hindalco have tumbled 4.3% each to Rs 1,185 and Rs 204, respectively.

HDFC Bank and Tata Motors have slipped 3.3% each to Rs 1,671 and Rs 721, respectively.

NTPC has shed 3% at Rs 239, and TCS has declined 2.8% to Rs 1,016.

BHEL, Mahindra & Mahindra and SBI have dropped 2.4% each to Rs 2,500, Rs 772 and Rs 2,354, respectively.

Reliance and Reliance Communications are down over 2% each at Rs 2,824 and Rs 744, respectively.

Cipla has gained 1.8% at Rs 213. ITC has moved up 1.5% to Rs 204, and Hindustan Unilever has added 1% to Rs 219.

Out of 2,917 stocks traded so far, 1,920 have advanced, 971 have declined and 26 are unchanged.