Sensex down 52pts, mkt breadth very -ve

The Sensex has dropped below the 10K mark and is now down 52 points at 9992.

The market breadth is fairly negative - out of 1,605 stocks traded so far, 1,019 have declined, 547 have advanced and 39 are unchanged.

HDFC has advanced 2% to Rs 1,068. ITC and Reliance have gained 1.7% each to Rs 169 and Rs 998, respectively.

Tata Motors has gained 1% at Rs 738.

HDFC Bank has slipped 3% to Rs 737. RCoVL, Reliance Energy, Hindalco and BHEL have dropped over 2% each to Rs 236, Rs 436, Rs 157 and Rs 1,798, respectively.

Cipla, ICICI Bank and NTPC are down over 1% each to Rs 215, Rs 486 and Rs 109, respectively.

The market breadth is extremely weak - out of 1,774 stocks traded so far, 1,362 have declined, 377 have advanced and 35 are unchanged.