Sensex ends down 400pts

The Sensex has finally ended (provisional) at 16,544, down 400 points. The NSE Nifty has settled (provisional) at 4,964, down 121 points.
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(Updated at 1448hrs)

Following a 600 points fall owing, probably, to a freak trade, the Sensex has recovered somewhat.

The Sensex was lacklustre since morning but tumbled 600 points to a low of 16,318. The Sensex recovered almost immediately. The index is now down 329 points at 16,616.

The Nifty is down 119 points at 4,966.

BSE metal index has tumbled 3.2% to 14,655. It is followed by oil, realty and banking sectors.

Jaiprakash Associates is leading the losers list among Sensex stocks. The stock has tumbled 5.5% to Rs 118.

Metal stocks- Sterlite and Hindalco have slumped 4.3% each to Rs 634 and Rs 144, respectively. Tata Steel and Jindal Steel have shed 3% each at Rs 485 and Rs 634, respectively.

Tata Motors has dropped 3.3% to Rs 729.

Market heavyweight, Reliance, has dropped 3% to Rs 1,012. ICICI Bank has slipped 3.2% to Rs 839.

Reliance Communications, HDFC, SBI, Bharti AIrtel and Larsen & Toubro have dropped 2-3% each.

Other big losers include Tata Power, BHEL, HDFC Bank, NTPC and DLF.

However, Maruti Suzuki has gained 2% at Rs 1,263. Cipla has added 1.6% to Rs 324.

BSE market breadth is negative right now. Out of 2839 stocks traded, 1766 have declined while 986 have advanced.