Markets ended in deep near the day's low slumped under the weight of extremely weak global equity markets. Sharp crack in market was inline with some of its Asian peers like Nikkie and Hang Seng.

Equity markets across globe cracked due to concerns over rise in default customers in the sub prime mortgage market, suggesting a slowdown in US and the yen carry trade unwinding. Nikkie and Hang Seng were down over 500 points on account of yen strengthning against the dollar at 116. The other Asian indices ended with a loss of around 1.5% -2%. The European markets also opened in red.

Selling was seen in scrips across the board. However, cement and real estate held in today's market. Midcap and smallcap ended with significant loses.

All the BSE sector indices ended in red. Banking, IT and capital goods were the worst hit stocks. ICICI Bank, Wipro, Satyam, Infosys, OBC, Bharti, Rel Comm, ABB, Siemens, SAIL were among the major losers.

India Cement was the best performer in the cement pack and the recently listed midcap IT stock Mindtree also had a good day.

Sensex closed down 453.36 points or 3.49% at 12529.62, and the Nifty down 129.45 points or 3.43% at 3641.1.

About 717 shares have advanced, 1745 shares declined, and 62 shares are unchanged.

The BSE Small Cap Index closed at 6,324.22 down 111 points or 1.7%.

The BSE Midcap Index ended at 5,246.38 down 107.45 points or 2%.

The BSE FMCG Index lost 2.9% at 1,613.92. ITC, HLL, United Spirits, Britannia, Nestle closed in red.

The BSE Metal Index was down 2.6% to close at 8,015.66. SAIL, Sterlite Ind, JindalStainless, Hind Zinc, Tata Steel, JSW Steel were among the losers.

The BSE Bankex was down 4.14% at 6,268.28. Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Oriental Bank, SBI, Allahabad Bank moved downwards.

The BSE Health Care Index was plunged 1.8% at 3,458.20. Sterling Bio,  Aventis Pharma, Wyeth, Divis Labs, Orchid Chemical closed lower.

The BSE Capital Goods Index was down 3.3% at 8,559.83.  Gammon India, Aban Offshore, ABB, Crompton Greave, BHEL ended lower

The BSE Auto Index closed at 4,854.20 down 1.9%. Escorts,  Ashok Leyland, Amtek Auto, Hero Honda, Hind Motors were among the losers.

The BSE IT Index closed at 4,836.38 down 4%.  Moser Baer, Patni Computer , HCL Info, Wipro, TCS ended weak.

The BSE Oil and Gas Index closed at 6,029.23 down 3%. IOC, Reliance, MRPL, ONGC, Reliance Natura ended in red.

The NSE cash turnover was at Rs 8663.18 crore and the NSE F&O turnover was at Rs 31977.51 crore. The BSE cash turnover was Rs 4299.23 crore. Total market wide turnover was at Rs 44939.92 crore.

Market plunges: Bank, IT stocks worst hit

The markets have slipped again and are trading near the day's low.

At 15.47 pm IST, the Sensex is down 447.84 points or 3.45% at 12535.14, and the Nifty down 128.00 points or 3.39% at 3642.55.

About 675 shares have advanced, 1745 shares declined, and 58 shares are unchanged.

Top losers on the indices are BHEL, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, ITC, SAIL and Wipro.

Index heavyweight Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 176.50 down 2.59% from its previous close of Rs 181.20.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,286.50 down 3.04% from its previous close of Rs 1,326.90.

Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 2,020.25 down 4.06% from its previous close of Rs 2,105.65.

Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 142.55 down 4.33% from its previous close of Rs 149.00.

Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 251.00 down 1.63% from its previous close of Rs 255.15.

Markets in red but off day's low

The markets continue to trade in red but are off day's low. The Sensex has shown recovery of 75 points from the days's low. Gujarat Ambuja, Bajaj Auto, Maruti Udyog have moved in the green.

At 15.10 pm IST, the Sensex is down 392.94 points or 3.03% at 12590.04, and the Nifty down 118.80 points or 3.15% at 3651.75.

About 629 shares have advanced, 1759 shares declined, and 51 shares are unchanged.

Top losers on the indices are BHEL, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, ITC, SAIL and Wipro.

Index heavyweight Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 175.15 down 3.34% from its previous close of Rs 181.20.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,291.05 down 2.7% from its previous close of Rs 1,326.90.

Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 2,024.00 down 3.88% from its previous close of Rs 2,105.65.

Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 143.50 down 3.69% from its previous close of Rs 149.00.

Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 251.90 down 1.27% from its previous close of Rs 255.15.

Crack gets deeper: Realty stocks still firm

The crack is getting deeper on account of heavy selling witnessed across the board. All the key indices are trading in deep red, however the realty sector is holding up despite all odds. The markets breadth is miserable.

At 14.09 pm IST, the Sensex is down 471.07 points or 3.63% at 12511.91, and the Nifty down 140.60 points or 3.73% at 3629.95.

About 555 shares have advanced, 1765 shares declined, and 41 shares are unchanged.

All the Sensex and Nifty stocks are trading in red. Banking, IT stocks are the worst hit.

Top losers on the indices are BHEL, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, ITC, SAIL and Wipro.

Index heavyweight Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 174.90 down 3.48% from its previous close of Rs 181.20.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,285.90 down 3.09% from its previous close of Rs 1,326.90.

Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 2,023.40 down 3.91% from its previous close of Rs 2,105.65.

Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 141.45 down 5.07% from its previous close of Rs 149.00.

Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 252.10 down 1.2% from its previous close of Rs 255.15.

Mkt trades in deep red: Bank, IT stocks worst hit

The markets seem to be going no where and are still trading with significant loses. Sensex is down nearly 400 points and the Nifty is down over 110 points. Midcap and smallcap stocks are struggling at lower levels.

At 13.32 pm IST, the Sensex is down 434.39 points or 3.35% at 12548.59, and the Nifty down 120.45 points or 3.19% at 3650.1. About 578 shares have advanced, 1677 shares declined, and 41 shares are unchanged.

Banking, IT stocks are the worst hit.

Mkt trades in deep red: Sensex, Nifty down over 3%

The markets resumed trade after sun outage with no signs of recovery. Sensex and Nifty are trading deep in red with not a single index stock in green. Equity markets across globe cracked due to concerns over  rise in default customers in the sub prime mortgage market, suggesting a slowdown in US and the yen carry trade unwinding.

Sensex is down over 400 points and Nifty has lost around 120 points.

At 12.41 pm IST, the Sensex is down 418.57 points or 3.22% at 12564.41, and the Nifty down 118.90 points or 3.15% at 3651.65.

About 504 shares have advanced, 1607 shares declined, and 39 shares are unchanged.

Top losers on the Sensex are Wipro, ICICI Bank and Tata Motors are among the top losers.

Index heavyweight Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 174.25 down 3.84% from its previous close of Rs 181.20.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,290.70 down 2.73% from its previous close of Rs 1,326.90.

Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 2,035.00 down 3.36% from its previous close of Rs 2,105.65.

Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 145.95 down 2.05% from its previous close of Rs 149.00.

Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 251.35 down 1.49% from its previous close of Rs 255.15.

Mkts in no mood to recover: Sensex still down over 400 pts

The markets seem to be in no mood of recovery as it is still trading under extreme pain since opening today in line with its Asian and US peers. All the key indices are are in deep red but the real estate stocks are holding ground on account of recent order books which they have bagged.

Asian stocks are still trading under extreme pain, resuming a selloff that began last week, as climbing U.S. home-loan delinquencies suggest the world's biggest economy is slowing. Nikkei has dipped over 500 points on account of recent volatility of Yen.The yen traded near the strongest in a week against the dollar and advanced against Asian currencies as investors reduced holdings of higher-yielding assets initiated with money borrowed in Japan.

The failure by U.S. homebuyers with poor credit histories to pay loans raised speculation traders are abandoning so-called carry trades and buying back the yen. Japan's currency also extended the biggest gain in two weeks as the prospect of bankruptcies led to a slump in U.S. and Asian stocks.

Japan's currency climbed as high as 115.88 before trading at 116.09 per dollar by 2:31 p.m. in Tokyo compared with 116.28 in New York yesterday, when it gained 1.2 percent. The yen reached 152.89 per euro and was last at 153.21, from 153.44 yesterday. It will rise to 115 per dollar in coming days, forecast Morriss.

At 11.32 am IST, the Sensex is down 413.06 points or 3.18% at 12569.92, and the Nifty down 115.30 points or 3.06% at 3655.25. About 476 shares have advanced, 1588 shares declined, and 43 shares are unchanged.

Top losers on the Sensex are ACC at Rs 718 down 4.25%, ICICI Bank at Rs 840.05 down 4.25% and Wipro at Rs 559 down 3.94%. 

Markets @ 9:57 am

Disastrous opening for markets: Sensex dips 453 pts

It was yet another disastrous opening for the markets wherein it opened in deep red on the back of extremely negative international cues. All the Sensex stocks opened in red with heavy losses as there was panic selling across the board.

At 9:57 am, Sensex was down 453 points at 12529 and Nifty was down 134 points at 3636. Major gainers in the opening trade were Rel Comm, Reliance, Satyam, ACC, Guj Ambuja, Infosys.

Asian Markets:

Asian markets were trading lower in morning trade today in the wake of a sharp sell-off on Wall Street and a strengthening of the yen against major currencies. Japan's Nikkei plunged 2.98% or 512.04 points at 16,666.80, Singapore's Straits Times fell 2.78% or 87.82 points at 3,071.08, South Korea's Seoul Composite was down 2.06% or 29.63 points at 1,406.42, Taiwan's Taiwan Weighted tumbled 1.51% or 116.03 points at 7,567.97 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.56% or 109.28 points at 19,333.14.

US Markets:

Stocks plunged yesterday, driving the Dow Jones industrials down more than 240 points to their second-biggest drop in almost four years, as troubles piled up for subprime lenders.

Market cues:

• FIIs net buy USD 46.1 milion in equity on Mar 12
• MFs net sell Rs 146 crore (Rs 1.46 billion) in equity on Mar 12
• NSE F&O Open Interest up by Rs 1,428 crore (Rs 14.28 billion) at Rs 55,938 crore (Rs 559.38 billion)

F&O cues:

• Futures Open Interest up by Rs 1,090 crore (Rs 10.90 billion); Options Open Interest up by Rs 338 crore (Rs 3.38 billion)
• Nifty Futures add 8.7 lakh shares in Open Interest
• Nifty Futures discount at 11-points
• Nifty Open Interest Put-Call ratio up to 0.97 from 0.95
• Nifty Calls add 1.4 lakh shares in Open Interest
• Nifty Puts add 5.7 lakh shares in Open Interest
• Nifty 3800 Put adds 3.8 lakh shares in Open Interest
• Nifty 3800, 3900 Calls add significant Open Interest