Sensex down 397pts; HUL, NTPC drop 4%

The Sensex is now down 397 points at 17,679.

The NSE Nifty is down 125 points at 5,156.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has plunged 4.3% to Rs 212. BHEL and NTPC have tumbled 4% each to Rs 2,134 and Rs 197, respectively.

Tata Motors, Reliance Communications and HDFC have dropped around 3.5% each to Rs 711, Rs 585 and Rs 2,762, respectively.

ICICI Bank has slipped 3.3% to Rs 1,178. DLF, Bharti Airtel and HDFC Bank have declined 3% each to Rs 817, Rs 861 and Rs 1,522, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro has shed 2.8% at Rs 3,453. ITC, Tata Steel and ONGC dropped around 2.5% each to Rs 200, Rs 793 and Rs 990, respectively.

Cipla and Grasim are down 2% each at Rs 184 and Rs 2,806, respectively.

Satyam has surged 2.7% to Rs 433, and Infosys has advanced 1% to Rs 1,573.