Sensex drops 86pts, Ranbaxy slips 5%

The Sensex finished with a loss of 1.36% (86 points) at 6,223.

Heavyweights closed on a weak note. Infosys declined more than a per cent (Rs 23) to Rs 1,971. Reliance dropped 1.5% (Rs 8) to Rs 526. SBI was down 2% (Rs 12) to Rs 588. HLL was down Rs 2 at Rs 141, and ITC was down a rupee at Rs 1,273.

Cement scrips crumbled under selling pressure. ACC declined more than 3% (Rs 12) to Rs 333. Gujarat Ambuja was also down 3% (Rs 13) to Rs 405. Grasim dropped 2% (Rs 28) to Rs 1,245.

Pharma frontliners were weak today. Ranbaxy dropped nearly 5% (Rs 55) to Rs 1,110. Cipla also declined nearly 5% (Rs 14) to Rs 268. Dr. Reddy's slipped 4% (Rs 30) to Rs 764.

Hindalco tanked nearly 4% (Rs 51) to Rs 1,252. L&T slipped 3.6% (Rs 35) to Rs 937. Reliance Energy was down 2% (Rs 11) to Rs 516. BHEL, Bharti, HDFC, HDFC Bank and HPCL also declined today.

Auto stocks bucked the downtrend, and finished with gains. Bajaj was up Rs 7 at Rs 1,110. While Maruti moved up Rs 4 to Rs 427, Tata Motors was up Rs 6 at Rs 481.