Sensex now breaks 8K, down 719pts

Relentless selling in the market, has forced the index dip below the 8,000-mark. The index is now down 719 points at 7,982.

The BSE Metal and FMCG indices have collapsed over 10% each to 3,942 and 1,632, respectively. The Bankex and Power indices have tumbled over 9% each to 4,222 and 1,322, respectively.

Updated at 1210 hrs

The Sensex is now down 562 points at 8,139.

Wipro has slumped 13.7% to Rs 203, and Tata Power has tumbled 12.7% to Rs 545.

DLF has crashed 12% to Rs 179. SBI has cracked 10.8% to Rs 1,032.

NTPC and Hindustan Unilever have plunged 10% each to Rs 202 and Rs 118, respectively.

Tata Steel and Reliance Communications have dropped 9.5% each to Rs 162 and Rs 175, respectively.

ONGC and Maruti have shed over 9% each to Rs 599 and Rs 485, respectively.

HDFC has slipped 8.5% to Rs 1,440. Larsen & Toubro is down over 8% at Rs 716.

Bharti Airtel, however, has gained 2.5% at Rs 547.

The market breadth is extremely negative - out of 2,309 stocks traded so far, 1,953 have declined, 317 have advanced and the rest are unchanged.