Sensex ends down 231 pts

The Sensex ends (provisional) down 231 points at 17,475. Nifty ended down 73 points at 5,253.
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(updated at 1531 hrs)

Markets extended losses on selling pressure in realty and banking shares. Weakness in European bourses took the Sensex to a low of 17,444. The index is trading near that level at 17,460 - down 244 points. Nifty is down 80 points at 5,246.

Asian markets ended in the red with Hang Seng down 2.5% at 19,369. Nikkei slipped 1.7% to 8,835 after downbeat domestic earnings reports and fresh worries about Europe prompted profit-taking in exporters and recent gainers. European shares were trading weak. CAC and DAX slid 3.3% each to 3,138 and 5,937, respectively.

BSE realty index was the biggest loser in the sectoral indices and dropped 2% to 1,881. Auto, metal and bankex shed 1.6-2% each.

Hindustan Unilever recovered from its low and is up 2.4% at 384. The company's total operating income rose 17.7% year-on-year (y-o-y) to Rs 5,610 crore, which was higher than 12-1% expected by analysts and even ahead of the market.

Wipro rallied 1.5% to Rs 372. Sun Pharma, Tata Power and Bharti Airtel also moved up.

Meanwhile, Sterlite slipped 4% to Rs 122. Tata Steel and Jindal Steel shed 2-3% each. ICICI Bank was the biggest dragger, down 4% at Rs 895.

Jaiprakash Associates, DLF, Cipla and ITC slipped around 2% each.

Punjab National Bank posted a 12.1% increase in net profit at Rs 1,205 crore for the quarter ended September 2011. It was Rs 1,074.5 crore in the year-ago period. The stock was up 1.5% at Rs 991.

Mahindra & Mahindra posted 20% rise in sales at 41,506 units in October. The stock moved down 3% at Rs 838.

BSE market breadth was negative. Out of 2,763 shares traded, 1,688 shares declined while 963 shares advanced.