Sensex ends down 27pts

The Sensex finally ended (provisional) at 17,434, down 27 points. The NSE Nifty was down four points at 5,234.
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(Updated at 1531 hrs)

The Sensex is now down 18 points at 17,443.

Reliance Communications has slipped nearly 2% to Rs 188. Hindalco and ONGC have dropped 1.5% each to Rs 142 and Rs 1,287, respectively.

BHEL, Hindustan Unilever and NTPC are down 1.3% each to Rs 2,360, Rs 266 and Rs 200, respectively.

Mahindra & Mahindra has gained 1.5% at Rs 611. Cipla and HDFC are the other prominent gainers.

The market breadth is now marginally positive - out of 2,930 stocks traded so far on the BSE, 1,575 have advanced and 1,251 have declined.