The Sensex opened 96 points higher at 10,073 on the back of positive cues from the overseas markets. The index, however, soon slipped in red owing to profit-taking at higher levels.

The index plunged to a low of 9,683 at the fag end of the day, and finally ended with a loss of 262 points at 9,715.

The NSE Nifty ended at 2,954, down 87 points.

Selling was seen across the board, with realty stocks being the major drag. The BSE Realty index slumped 7.8% to 2,120. The Power and Metal indices shed 4.7% each at 1,738 and 5,305, respectively. The IT and Capital Goods indices slipped around 4% each to 2,248 and 6,812, respectively.

The market breadth was fairly negative - out of 2,597 stocks traded so far, 1,568 declined, 957 advanced and the rest were unchanged on Wednesday.

INDEX SHAKERS...

Satyam [Get Quote] slumped 30% to Rs 158 today following the Maytas deal fiasco. Yesterday the company had announced its plans to diversify into infrastructure by approving $1.6 billion investment in Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties. However, today the company called off the deal following negative feedback from the investor community.

Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Communications [Get Quote] tumbled over 13% each to Rs 549 and Rs 203, respectively.

Jaiprakash Associates [Get Quote] plunged over 12% to Rs 77. ACC and DLF crashed around 9% each to Rs 486 and Rs 253, respectively.

Tata Power [Get Quote] shed 6% at Rs 703. Sterlite dropped over 5% to Rs 271.

Bharti Airtel [Get Quote] and BHEL slipped around 4.5% each to Rs 710 and Rs 1,340, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro declined 3.3% to Rs 783. Hindalco [Get Quote] and SBI [Get Quote] were down 3% each at Rs 54 and Rs 1,201, respectively.

...AND THE MOVERS

ICICI Bank [Get Quote] surged 2.5% to Rs 432, and HDFC Bank [Get Quote] rallied nearly 2% to Rs 1,002.

Infosys [Get Quote] and Wipro [Get Quote] gained 1.5% each at Rs 1,140 and Rs 243, respectively.

Hindustan Unilever and Mahindra & Mahindra were up 1.3% each at Rs 251 and Rs 304, respectively.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS

Satyam topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 551.50 crore followed by Reliance (Rs 347 crore), HDIL (Rs 305.30 crore), Reliance Infrastructure (Rs 165.40 crore) and Educomp Solutions [Get Quote] (Rs 160.40 crore).

Satyam also led the volume chart with trades of around 3.33 crore shares followed by Reliance Natural Resources [Get Quote] (2.27 crore), HDIL (2 crore), Suzlon Energy [Get Quote] (1.62 crore) and Unitech (1.30 crore).