Weakness persists... Sensex down 253pts

The Sensex is now down 253 points at 17,839.

The NSE Nifty is down 85 points at 5,196.

Bajaj Auto has plunged 4.4% to Rs 2,274, and Hindustan Unilever has slumped 4% to Rs 199.

Reliance Energy has tumbled 3.3% to Rs 2,037. ITC has shed 3% at Rs 195.

ONGC and Reliance have dropped 2.3% each to Rs 995 and Rs 2,515, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra and ICICI Bank have slipped over 2% each to Rs 686 and Rs 1,194, respectively.

Maruti has declined nearly 2% to Rs 841. Tata Motors and NTPC have shed 1.6% each at Rs 704 and Rs 208, respectively.

Hindalco and Reliance Communications have dropped 1.4% each to Rs 177 and Rs 634, respectively.

Cipla, Grasim and Larsen & Toubro are down around 1% each to Rs 189, Rs 2,970 and Rs 3,733, respectively.

Tata Steel has moved up 1.8% to Rs 729.

HDFC, BHEL and Ambuja Cements have advanced 1.4% each to Rs 2,891, Rs 2,080 and Rs 119, respectively.

Bharti Airtel is up over 1% at Rs 860.

Out of 2,641 stocks traded so far, 1,705 have declined, 885 have advanced and 51 are unchanged.