Markets fall for third straight day

The Sensex fell for the third striaght day on negative cues from global markets mixed with weak corporate earnings.

The Sensex opened almost flat at 16,336 and slipped to a low of 16,144 within an hour of trade. The index, gaining strength, rebounded into the positive zone and touched a high of 16,411 - up 267 points from the day's low. However, the recovery was shortlived and the index slipped back into the negative zone and finally ended with a loss of 70 points at 16,283.

Since the beginning of the week, the Sensex has already lost 482points.

The Nifty ended down 21 poinst at 4,826.

The BSE consumer durables, bankex, PSU and auto indices ended in the negative. The indices slipped 1-2% each.

The market breadth was fairly negative. Out of 2,756 stocks traded 1,628 declined while 1,057 advanced.

INDEX SHAKERS...

Maruti Suzuki slumped 4.5% to Rs 1,415. Tata Steel and HDFC shed 3.5% each at Rs 483 and Rs 2,667, respectively.

ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank fell 3% each to Rs 810 and Rs 1,619, respectively.

Reliance Communications, ONGC, Sterlite, Reliance Infrastructure, NTPC and Hindalco dropped 1.5-3% each.

The other losers in the Sensex include ACC, Grasim and BHEL.

...AND THE MOVERS

Bharti Airtel gained 3.5% at Rs 317. Wipro added 3% to Rs 623.

Tata Motors and Reliance moved up 2.5% each to Rs 562 and Rs 2,036, respectively. Larsen & Toubro also advanced 2% to Rs 1,588.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS...

The combined value chart was topped by SBI with a huge turnover of 1,441.56 crore, followed by ICICI Bank (Rs 954.39 crore), Unitech (Rs 908.95 crore), Reliance (Rs 771.17 crore) and Tata Steel (Rs 769.05 crore).

The combined volume chart was led by Unitech with trades of over 107.11 million shares, followed by Ispat Industries (45.2 million), Thinksoft (33.78 million), IFCI (30.89 million) and Suzlon (30.57 million).