Sensex drops 815pts; HDFC, ONGC slip 5%

The Sensex is now down 815 points at 15,727.

The NSE Nifty is down 234 points at 4,687.

Bajaj Auto and Reliance Energy have slumped 10.8% each to Rs 1,899 and Rs 1,304, respectively.

ICICI Bank has tumbled 8.7% to Rs 877. Hindalco has shed 7.5% at Rs 193.

Satyam has slipped over 6% to Rs 407. Ranbaxy, Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC and Tata Motors have dropped around 5.5% each to Rs 429, Rs 659, Rs 184 and Rs 665, respectively.

HDFC and ONGC are down 5% each at Rs 2,618 and Rs 940, respectively.

The market breadth was extremely negative - out of 2,604 stocks traded so far, 2,424 have declined, 161 have advanced and 19 are unchanged.