Investors mostly got a raw deal from the stock markets, with as many as 1,000 companies, including top five IT firms Infosys [Get Quote], TCS [Get Quote], Wipro [Get Quote], Satyam [Get Quote] and HCL [Get Quote] Tech, collectively losing over Rs 2,50,000 crore (Rs 2,500 billion) in market value in 2007-08.

The total market cap of all the listed companies in the country, however, rose by about Rs 18,00,000 crore (Rs 18,000 billion) during the fiscal, counting close to 100 that got listed during the year.

But as many as 1,000 companies, including newly listed firms, recorded a fall in their market capitalisation, while another 1,400 firms managed to add about Rs 15,00,000 crore (Rs 15,000 billion) to their valuations.

Those that witnessed a fall in their market cap include the big names of IT sector, such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Service, Wipro, Satyam Computer, HCL Technologies, Tech Mahindra [Get Quote], i-Flex, MphasiS, Patni Computer and Moser Baer [Get Quote].

Besides, firms like Tata Motors [Get Quote], Dr Reddy's, Cipla, Hindustan Zinc [Get Quote], Mahindra and Mahindra, Zee Entertainment, Jet Airways [Get Quote], Parsvnath, Videocon Industries [Get Quote], Financial Technology, United Breweries [Get Quote], Indian Hotels and Container Corporation also shed value.

Infosys, TCS and Wipro lost Rs 18,000-42,000 crore (Rs 180-420 billion), while Satyam, HCL Tech and Patni lost Rs 2,000-4,500 crore (Rs 20-45 billion).

Tata Motors, M&M, Hindustan Zinc, Cipla, Container Corp, Dr Reddy's, Tech Mahindra, i-Flex, Videocon [Get Quote], MTNL [Get Quote], Bharat Forge [Get Quote], Sobha Developers [Get Quote], United Breweries, Amtek Auto [Get Quote], Cadila, Wockhardt, Aventis Pharma [Get Quote], Ansal Properties, Aurobindo Pharma [Get Quote], Mindtree Consulting [Get Quote], Hexaware [Get Quote], Subex and NIIT [Get Quote] Tech all lost between Rs 1,000-10,000 crore (Rs 10 to 100 billion) each.

Together these 1,000 firms saw their market value falling to about Rs 7,24,000 crore (Rs 7,240 billion), from about Rs 9,82,000 crore (Rs 9,820 billion) at the end of fiscal ended March 31, 2007.

In comparison, the market capitalisation of 1,400 other companies rose to about Rs 40,40,000 crore (Rs 40,400 billion) from about Rs 25,40,000 crore (Rs 25,400 billion) at the end of previous fiscal.

The most prominent gainers included Reliance Industries [Get Quote], ONGC [Get Quote], NTPC, Bharti Airtel [Get Quote], NMDC, MMTC, Reliance Comm, SBI [Get Quote], BHEL, L&T, ICICI Bank [Get Quote], ITC, SAIL [Get Quote], Reliance Petro, HDFC [Get Quote], Indian Oil [Get Quote], Tata Steel [Get Quote] and Sterlite Industries.

RIL, NMDC and MMTC each recorded gains of more than Rs 1,00,000 crore (Rs 1,000 billion), while market capitalisation of MMTC rose by about Rs 98,000 crore (Rs 980 billion).

Besides, market values of companies like ONGC, NTPC, SBI, BHEL, L&T, Reliance Petro, ITC, SAIL, HDFC, Tata Steel, Sterlite Industries and Jindal Steel rose between Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) to Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion).

Firms like Reliance Communications [Get Quote], HDFC Bank, Unitech, Cairn India [Get Quote], Suzlon Energy [Get Quote], GAIL India [Get Quote], Reliance Capital [Get Quote], Reliance Energy [Get Quote], Nalco, Axis Bank, GMR Infra, Tata Power [Get Quote], Essar Oil [Get Quote], Neyveli [Get Quote] Lignite, RNRL and Hindustan Copper [Get Quote] also saw their market capitalisations growing by over Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion).

Collectively, the market capitalisation of all the listed companies, including those that made a debut on the bourses during the year, rose by over 50 per cent during the fiscal.

The total market capitalisation of all the listed firms currently stands at Rs 53,09,319 crore (Rs 53,093.19 billion), as against Rs 35,44,979 crore (Rs 35,449.79 billion) at the end of previous fiscal.

Besides, the market capitalisation of the 30 Sensex companies rose to Rs 23,26,429 crore (Rs 23,264.29 billion) from Rs 17,11,241 crore (Rs 17,112.41 billion) at the end of the previous year -- representing a gain of about 36 per cent or over Rs 6,00,000 crore (Rs 6,000 billion).