Sensex recovers partially; Auto stocks decline

The Sensex has recovered partially and is now down 126 points at 13,377.
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(Updated at 1312 hrs)

The Sensex has continued to languish in red and touched a low of 13,220. The index is now down 225 points at 13,279.

The BSE Mid-cap and Small-cap indices have underperformed the broader markets. The indices are down around 4% each at 4,531 and 5,012, respectively.

Jaiprakash Associates has plunged 8% to Rs 171. Reliance Infrastructure has slumped 7% to Rs 958. Tata Steel, DLF and Hindalco have tumbled 6% each to Rs 331, Rs 262 and Rs 69, respectively.

Auto stocks have declined as well. Mahindra & Mahindra has dropped 5.7% to Rs 654. Maruti Suzuki has shed 5% to Rs 1,051. Tata Motors has slipped 4% to Rs 259.

Tata Power, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance, Hero Honda, ICICI Bank, Reliance Communications and Bharti Airtel have declined 2-4% each.

Meanwhile, Sun Pharma has managed to hold on to its gain and is now at rs 1,145, up over 2%. Wipro and Infosys are up marginally at Rs 391 and Rs 1,744, respectively.

The market breadth contuinues to be negative. Out of 2,456 stocks traded, 2,018 have declined while 385 have advanced.