Backed by buoyancy in global markets, the Sensex opened with a positive gap of 129 points at 17,902, and soon rallied to a fresh all-time intra-day high of 17,983 - just 17-odd points shy of the 18,000-mark.
However, resistance at higher levels saw the index pare gains and slip into the negative zone. Aggressive profit-taking saw the Sensex tumble to a low of 17,322 - down 661 points from the peak. Selective buying, thereafter, helped the index recover partially towards the close.
The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 282 points at 17,491.
The BSE Metal, Realty and PSU indices plunged nearly 4 per cent each to 13,590, 9283 and 8025, respectively. The Bankex dropped 2.6 per cent to 8985.
The market breadth was extremely negative -- out of 2,783 stocks traded, 2,264 declined, 473 advanced and 46 were unchanged today.
Index Shakers...
Tata Steel, ACC and Ranbaxy tumbled around 5 per cent each to Rs 789, Rs 1,115 and Rs 412, respectively.
Reliance Energy, NTPC, Hindalco and SBI have plunged around 4.5 per cent each to Rs 1,380, Rs 205, Rs 162 and Rs 1,783,
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