Sensex down 359pts; breadth fairly +ve

The Sensex has slipped deeper into red following a further hike in inflation numbers. The index is now down 359 points at 15,474.

The inflation based on the wholesale price hit the 7% mark for the week ended March 22.

The NSE Nifty is down 91 points at 4,681.

BHEL has plunged nearly 5% to Rs 1,670. HDFC and Mahindra & Mahindra have tumbled around 4% each to Rs 2,348 and Rs 617, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro and Wipro have shed 3.3% each at Rs 2,754 and Rs 421, respectively.

Tata Motors, ITC and Maruti have dropped 2.7% each to Rs 611, Rs 202 and Rs 767, respectively.

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Energy and Infosys have also slipped 2.7% each to Rs 799, Rs 1,158 and Rs 1,482, respectively.

ICICI Bank, Jaiprakash Associates and Ambuja Cements have declined 1.5% each to Rs 769, Rs 228 and Rs 119, respectively.

Hindalco, HDFC Bank and ONGC are down 2.3% each at Rs 167, Rs 1,297 and Rs 997, respectively.

Ranbaxy has surged 2.7% to Rs 459. Tata Steel is up 1% at Rs 666.

The market breadth is fairly negative - out of 2,465 stocks traded, 1,592 have declined, 814 have advanced and 59 are unchanged.