Sensex steady, down 97pts

The Sensex is now down 97 points at 19,879.

ONGC has plunged 2.6% to Rs 1,330. Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Infosys and HDFC Bank have dropped 1.8% each to Rs 742, Rs 1,307, Rs 1,875 and Rs 1,728, respectively.

HDFC and Dr.Reddy's have shed 1.5% each to Rs 2,611 745, and Rs 605, respectively.

Grasim, Tata Motors and Wipro are down over 1% each at Rs 3,700, Rs 746 and Rs 486, respectively.

Ranbaxy has surged 3.8% to Rs 455. SBI has soared 3% to Rs 2,319.

Bharti Airtel has gained 2.5% at Rs 918. NTPC has moved up 2% to Rs 240.

Cipla has advanced 1.6% to Rs 176, and Reliance Communications is up 1% at Rs 794, respectively.

The market breadth is positive - out of 2,667 stocks traded so far, 1,565 have advanced, 1,033 have declined and 69 are unchanged.