Sensex slips 79pts; Cipla up 3%

Continued selling has forced the index to a low of 9901 - down 101 points from the open of 10,002. The index is now down 79 points at 9902.

Cipla has added 3.2% to Rs 546, and Ranbaxy is up 1% at Rs 444.

Reliance, Satyam, Tata Motors and TCS are the other notable gainers among the Sensex stocks.

Hindalco has dropped 2% to Rs 151.

Larsen & Toubro and BHEL has slipped 1.8% each to Rs 2,243 and Rs 1,831, respectively.

HDFC Bank, ITC, Bharti, ICICI Bank and Infosys have declined over 1% each to Rs 733, Rs 160, Rs 358, Rs 580 and Rs 2,760, respectively.

The market breadth is fairly negative as over 73% of the total stocks traded are in negative. Out of  total of 1,954 stocks traded so far, 1,429 have slipped, 485 have advanced and 40 are unchanged.