Sensex below 15,000-mark, down 172pts in early trades

The Sensex opened 75 points lower at 15,018. The index touched a high of 15,033, and soon slipped below the 15,000-mark owing to weakness in opening trades. The index is now down 172 points at 14,921.

Rate sensitives like the banking, real estate and auto stocks are in negative zone, while the metal stocks have moved up this morning.

DLF has plunged 3.7% to Rs 528. Reliance Infrastructure has shed 2% at Rs 1,047, and Jaiprakash Associates is down over 1% at Rs 185.

HDFC and ICICI Bank have tumbled over 3% each to Rs 2,335 and Rs 688, respectively. HDFC Bank and SBI have slipped over 2% each to Rs 1,190 and Rs 1,523, respectively.

Maruti has dropped 2.3% to Rs 655. Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors are down over 1% each to Rs 587 and Rs 429, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro and ONGC have shed 1.5% each at Rs 2,754 and Rs 1,070, respectively.

ITC and NTPC have declined 1.3% each to Rs 192 and Rs 184, respectively.

On the other hand, Tata Steel and Sterlite have gained 1.5% each at Rs 620 and Rs 622, respectively.

Infosys has moved up 1.3% to Rs 1,647.