Sensex down 79pts; ICICI Bank drops 4%

The Sensex has slipped into the negative zone and is now down 79 points at 15,711.

The NSE Nifty is down 13 points at 4,734.

Reliance Energy has soared nearly 7% to Rs 1,257. TCS has surged 2.8% to Rs 901, and Reliance has rallied 2.5% to Rs 2,477.

Larsen & Toubro has moved up nearly 2% to Rs 2,685. Ambuja Cements has advanced 1.3% to Rs 122, and Mahindra & Mahindra has added 1% to Rs 614.

ICICI Bank has slumped 4% to Rs 804. Ranbaxy has plunged 3.7% to Rs 453, and HDFC Bank has tumbled 3.5% to Rs 1,328.

Jaiprakash Associates has shed 2.7% at Rs 214. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications have dropped 2.5% each to Rs 800 and Rs 484, respectively.

SBI has slipped 2% to Rs 1,660. Hindustan Unilever is down 1.6% at Rs 241.

Out of 2,697 stocks traded so far, 1,808 have advanced, 814 have declined and 75 are unchanged.