The Sensex opened on a flat note at 6,421, and slipped into negative zone. Selective buying in heavyweights like Reliance and SBI saw the index bounce back and touch a high of 6,436.

Selling commenced by noon, and intensified towards the closing bell. After touching a low of 6,330 - a drop of 106 points from the intra-day high, the Sensex closed with a loss of 74 points at 6,346.

The Nifty was down 21 points at 2,012.

While 20 Sensex stocks declined with a volume of 1.24 crore shares totalling Rs 617 crore, nine advanced with a volume of 43 lakh shares for Rs 149 crore.

Reliance declined more than 2% (Rs 10) to Rs 480. ITC dropped 1.5% (Rs 19) to Rs 1,255. Infosys slipped 1.4% (Rs 29) to Rs 2,090. While SBI was down Rs 4 at Rs 583, HLL was down a rupee at Rs 149.   While Satyam was down 2% (Rs 7) at Rs 415, Wipro declined Rs 10 to Rs 758.

Bharti plummetted 7% (Rs 14) to Rs 199. L&T tanked more than 5% (Rs 53) to Rs 938. HDFC declined 2% (Rs 13) to Rs 780. ICICI Bank was down Rs 6 at Rs 360.

BHEL was down a per cent at Rs 715. HPCL dropped Rs 6 to Rs 373.

Bajaj was down 2% (Rs 24) to Rs 1,061. While Maruti was down Rs 5 at Rs 451, Tata Motors lost Rs 7 to close at Rs 493. Hero Honda was unchanged at Rs 509.

Tata Power was up Rs 7 at Rs 370, and Reliance Energy gained Rs 5 to Rs 517. Zee was up Rs 2 at Rs 174.

Grasim gained 1.5% (Rs 19) to Rs 1,269. Gujarat Ambuja was marginally higher at Rs 388, but ACC lost Rs 4 to Rs 317.

ING Vysya continued to log gains, and zoomed 20% (Rs 100) to Rs 603.  Pharma scrips attracted buying interest today - the BSE Health Care index was up 1.12% (32 points) at 2,928. Aventis Pharma advanced 7% (Rs 87) to Rs 1,244. Cadila also moved up 7 (Rs 37) to Rs 573. Torrent, Pfizer, Nicholas and Abott also finished with sharp gains in a declining market today.

Tata Teleservices topped the volume chart with a traded volume of 1.32 crore shares on the BSE. The stock was down a notch at Rs 22.

Sensex @ 1500 hrs

The market continues to slide towards the late noon deals following a wave of selling pressure in old and new economy stocks.

The Sensex is now down 63 points at 6,357. The Nifty has lost 19 points to 2,014.

Reliance has shed 1.90% (Rs 9) to Rs 481. While ITC is down a per cent (Rs 14) at Rs 1,260, HLL is down a rupee at Rs 149.

Infosys has edged lower by 1.46% (Rs 31) to Rs 2,088. While Wipro has lost 1.18% (Rs 9) to Rs 759, Satyam has dipped 1.88% (Rs 8) to Rs 415.

SBI is down a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 583, and ICICI Bank has slipped 1.41% (Rs 5) to Rs 360.

Bajaj has lost nearly 2% (Rs 20) to Rs 1,065. Maruti at Rs 448 (down Rs 8 or 1.70%) and Tata Motors at Rs 492 (down Rs 9 or 1.77%) are also trading at lower levels.

Bharti has crashed 6.42% (Rs 14) to Rs 200. While L&T has droped 3.58% (Rs 35) to Rs 955, HDFC has declined nearly 2% (Rs 15) to Rs 778.

While Zee has gained 1.66% (Rs 3) to Rs 174, Tisco is up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 333.

Sensex @ 1400 hrs

The Sensex has slipped deep into the red to touch a current low of 6,360 as selling has intensified in old and new economy stocks. It is now down 48 points at 6,372.

Reliance, with a volume over 32.7 lakh on the BSE, has declined 1.22% (Rs 6) to Rs 484. While ITC has scaled down a per cent (Rs 13) to Rs 1,261, HLL is down a rupee at Rs 149.

Infosys is down a per cent (Rs 20) at Rs 2,098. Wipro at Rs 759 (down Rs 9 or 1.22%) and Satyam at Rs 418 (down Rs 5) are also trading with losses.

Bajaj is down 1.35% (Rs 15) at Rs 1,070, and Tata Motors has lost 1.29% (Rs 6) to Rs 494.  Bharti has slumped 4% (Rs 9) to Rs 205. While L&T has shed 3.22% (Rs 32) to Rs 959, HDFC has slipped 1.68% (Rs 13) to Rs 780.

ICICI Bank is down 1.19% (Rs 4) at Rs 361. Zee, however, is up 1.43% at Rs 174.

SAIL is trading lower at Rs 57 with a volume of over 26.37 lakh, followed by Neyville (19.67 lakh), NTPC (15.98 lakh) and Indus Ind Bank (15.68 lakh), respectively.

Sensex @ 1315 hrs

After witnessing a steady buying trend in the first half, the market has come under a correction mode in the afternoon trades.

Selling pressure in heavyweight, tech, auto and other select old economy dragged the index below the 6,400-mark to a current low of 6,391.

The Sensex is now down 27 points at 6,394. The Nifty has lost 8 points to 2,025.

The market breadth, however, is still positive with 904 gainers and 889 losers.

ITC has inched lower by a per cent (Rs 8) to Rs 1,266. While Reliance, with a volume of over 23.10 lakh on the BSE, is trading lower by Rs 2 at Rs 489, HLL is down a rupee at Rs 149.

Infosys and Wipro have slipped a per cent each to Rs 2,100 (down Rs 19) and Rs 762 (down Rs 6), respectively. Satyam is down Rs 2 at Rs 420.

Bajaj has lost 1.35% (Rs 15) to Rs 1,070. While Tata Motors is trading with a per cent loss (Rs 5) at Rs 496, Maruti is down Rs 2 at Rs 454.

Bharti has shed nearly 3% (Rs 6) to Rs 207, and HDFC is down 1.31% (Rs 10) at Rs 783. L&T has lost 2.47% (Rs 24) to Rs 966.

SBI, with a volume of over 5.36 lakh, is up Rs 3 at Rs 590, but ICICI Bank is down a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 363.

Reliance Energy, however, is holding on to its gains at Rs 522 - up Rs 11 or 2.11%. While Tata Power has gained 1.57% (Rs 6) to Rs 369, BHEL is up Rs 3 at Rs 724.  Zee is up 1.69% (Rs 3) at Rs 175, with a volume of over 4.34 lakh.

UTI Bank has lost 3.18% (Rs 6) to Rs 171. While Century Textiles has declined 3.14% to Rs 173, Wockhardt is down 2.25% at Rs 363. Geometric, Bombay Dyeing and GE Shipping are down 2% each at Rs 378, Rs 228 and Rs 178, respectively.

Reliance is leading the value chart with a turnover of Rs 113 crore, followed by SBI (Rs 31 crore), Tisco (Rs 28 crore), Infosys (Rs 23 crore) and Tata Motors (Rs 19 crore), respectively.

Sensex @ 1120 hrs

The market has steadily advanced in current trades as select heavyweight, cement and other old economy stocks have attracted buying support. The Sensex, which slipped to a low of 6,408 at the early trades, is now up 14 points at 6,434. The Nifty is still up two points at 2,035.

The market breadth is firm in mid-morning trades. While 941 stocks have advanced, 592 declined and 57 have remained unchanged.

Reliance, with a volume of over 16.43 lakh on the BSE, is up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 493. ITC and HLL are down a rupee each at Rs 1,273 and Rs 149, respectively.

SBI is trading with a per cent gain (Rs 4) at Rs 591. Over 2.71 lakh shares have been traded so far on the BSE.

Reliance Energy has soared 4.57% (Rs 23) to Rs 535. While Tata Power has gained 1.79% (Rs 6) to Rs 370, BHEL is up a per cent (Rs 7) at Rs 727.

Tisco, on a volume of over 5.73 lakh, has added 1.92% (Rs 6) to Rs 337, and ONGC is up Rs 4 at Rs 847. Zee has jumped 2.39% (Rs 4) to Rs 176, with a volume of over 3.30 lakh.

Grasim has added 1.27% (Rs 16) to Rs 1,267. While Gujarat Ambuja is up a per cent (Rs 4) at Rs 391, ACC is up a rupee at Rs 322.

Infosys, however, has slipped a per cent (Rs 11) to Rs 2,108. Wipro and Satyam are also trading at lower levels at Rs 765 and Rs 422, respectively.

Bharti, with a volume of over 3.40 lakh, has slumped 3% (Rs 6) to Rs 207.

ING Vysya Bank continues to ride high, and has spurted 14.23% (Rs 72) to Rs 574. Ramco and Nirma have advanced slightly over 4% each to Rs 472 and Rs 367, respectively.

Select metal stocks have garnered gains. Maharashtra Sea has vaulted 12.37% (Rs 33) to Rs 298. While Mukand Steel has soared 9% (Rs 4) to Rs 44, Sesa Goa has gained nearly 3% (Rs 27) to Rs 944. Saw Pipes is up 2.10% at Rs 230.

Sensex @1015 hrs:

The Sensex has added eight points to 6,428. The Nifty is up two points at 2,035.

SBI is up a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 592.

HLL is up a tad at Rs 150. ITC and Reliance are marginally down at Rs 1,272 and Rs 490, respectively.

BHEL has gained 1.57% (Rs 11) to Rs 732. ONGC is up a per cent (Rs 5) at Rs 848.

Tisco has added 2% (Rs 7) to Rs 337, and Zee is up 1.69% at Rs 175.

Dr. Reddy's and Cipla are up a per cent each at Rs 846 and Rs 297, respectively.

While Grasim has addd 1.30% (Rs 16) to Rs 1,267, Gujarat Ambuja is up a per cent (Rs 3) at Rs 390.

L&T, however, has lost 1.46% (Rs 14) to Rs 976.