Sensex down 199pts; breadth extremely -ve

The Sensex is now down 199 points at 14,340.

Hindalco has plunged 10% to Rs 156. Reliance Communications has tumbled 4.5% to Rs 455, and Reliance Energy has shed 3.3% to Rs 538.

ACC and NTPC have sliped nearly 3% each to Rs 1,006 and Rs 141, respectively. Larsen & Toubro & ICICI Bank have dropped around 2.5% each to Rs 1,670 and Rs 967, respectively.

Ranbaxy and Bharti Airtel are down around 2% each at Rs 408 and Rs 738, respectively.

The market breadth is extremely negative - out of 2,238 stocks traded so far, 1,910 have declined, 300 have advanced and the rest are unchanged.