Sensex slumps 718pts; Rel Energy plunges 8%

The Sensex is now down 718 points at 19,533.

The NSE Nifty is down 239 points at 5,836.

Reliance Energy has nose-dived 8.3% to Rs 2,168. Reliance Communications has tumbled 7.7% to Rs 718.

HDFC Bank and NTPC have plunged around 7% each to Rs 1,655 and Rs 255, respectively.

ITC has shed 6.7% to Rs 202, and DLF has slumped 6.4% to Rs 1,101.

BHEL and Tata Steel have dropped 5.7% each to Rs 2,279 and Rs 804, respectively.

Hindalco has slipped nearly 5% to Rs 188. Tata Motors, Maruti and Reliance have declined 4% each to Rs 736, Rs 832 and Rs 3,036, respectively.

ONGC, Satyam and Ranbaxy are down around 3% each to Rs 1,236, Rs 376 and Rs 378, respectively.

Bharti Airtel, however, is up over 1% at Rs 868.

Out of 2,807 stocks traded so far, 2,439 have declined, 345 have advanced and 23 are unchanged.