The Sensex opened with a huge negative gap of 330 points at 16,212 on weak global cues. Unabated selling saw the index slip below the 16,000-mark to a low of 15,690 - down 852 points from the previous close.
Buying at lower levels saw the Sensex finally close with a loss of 3.4% (567 points) at 15,975.
The index thus ended the week on a dismal note - down over 9% (1,604 points).
The market breadth was extremely negative - out of 2,710 stocks traded, 2,384 declined, 295 advanced and the rest were unchanged today.
INDEX LOSERS....
Reliance Energy (REL) slumped 13% to Rs 1,270. The company, on Wednesday, had announced a buyback at Rs 1,600 per share.
Bajaj Auto tumbled over 11% to Rs 1,889. ICICI Bank declined 7% at Rs 893, and Larsen & Toubro dropped 6.6% to Rs 2,988.
Hindalco declined 5.8% to Rs 196. NTPC was down 5% at Rs 185.
HDFC, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors slipped 4.5% each to Rs 2,629, Rs 665 and Rs 672, respectively.
Ranbaxy dropped over 4% to Rs 435. HDFC Bank and Wipro declined 3.7% each to Rs 1,286 and Rs 415, respectively.
DLF and ONGC were down nearly 3.5% each at Rs 658 and Rs 955, respectively.
..AND GAINERS
Reliance Communications gained 3% to Rs 543.
Hindustan Unilever and Bharti Airtel also closed with gains today.
