Sensex down 444pts; Tata St, Maruti slip 5%

The Sensex is now down 444 points at 17,150.

The NSE Nifty is down 202 points at 5,001.

NTPC has slumped 10% to Rs 202. Reliance Energy has plunged 8.5% to Rs 1,819.

Grasim has shed 6.5% at Rs 2,830. Hindalco and DLF have tumbled 5.8% each to Rs 151 and Rs 872, respectively.

Tata Steel and Maruti have dropped nearly 5% each to Rs 663 and Rs 784, respectively. ONGC has slipped 4.5% to Rs 946.

Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto and Wipro are down 4% each at Rs 3,593, Rs 2,124 and Rs 414, respectively.

Hindustan Unilever has surged over 3% to Rs 196. HDFC has moved up 2.7% to Rs 2,600.

Satyam has gained 1.8% at Rs 400.

Out of 2,706 stocks traded so far, 2,351 have declined, 329 have advanced and 26 are unchanged.