Sensex drops 220pts; ITC zooms 9%

The Sensex is now down 220 points at 15,575.

Ambuja Cements has plunged nearly 6% to Rs 126. ACC has dropped 3.8% to Rs 1,069, and Grasim has shed 2.4% to Rs 2,950.

Satyam has slumped 5% to Rs 492. Bajaj Auto, Larsen & Toubro and BHEL have slipped around 4% each to Rs 2,345, Rs 2,565 and Rs 1,767, respectively.

Tata Motors and Reliance Communications are down around 2.5% each to Rs 728 and Rs 564, respectively.

ITC has zoomed nearly 9% to Rs 166. NTPC has surged 1.5% to Rs 166.

Out of 2,596 stocks traded so far, 1,843 have declined, 699 have advanced and 54 are unchanged.