After opening with a positive gap of 60 points at 20,930, the Sensex hit a new high of 21,207 in morning deals on buying in ICICI Bank [Get Quote].

Profit-taking at higher levels saw the index pare gains as the day progressed. Selling intensified in late noon deals, and the index tumbled to a low of 20,530 - down 677 points from the peak.

The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 288 points (1.4%) at 20,582.

The BSE Smallcap Index plunged 511 points (3.8%) to 12,859, and the Midcap Index dropped 330 points (3.4%) to 9,440.

The NSE Nifty touched a high of 6347 and slumped to a low of 6,143 - a swing of 204 points. The index finally ended with a loss of 115 points (1.8%) at 6,157.

The market breadth was extremely negative - out of 2,912 stocks traded, 2,542 declined, 353 advanced and 17 were unchanged today.

Index shakers...

Hindalco [Get Quote] slumped nearly 5% to Rs 202.

Tata Steel [Get Quote], NTPC and Reliance Energy [Get Quote] plunged 4% each to Rs 854, Rs 266 and Rs 2,465, respectively.

ITC shed 3.6% at Rs 220. ACC, Infosys [Get Quote] and Cipla tumbled over 3% each to Rs 939, Rs 1,602 and Rs 202, respectively.

Ranbaxy [Get Quote] and Reliance Communications [Get Quote] also slipped over 3% each to Rs 399 and Rs 796, respectively.

Larsen & Toubro and Tata Motors [Get Quote] shed 2.8% each at Rs 4,207 and Rs 749, respectively.

Grasim [Get Quote] and DLF dropped 2.3% each to Rs 3,370 and Rs 1,142, respectively.

SBI [Get Quote] and Hindustan Unilever declined over 2% each to Rs 2,409 and Rs 229, respectively. Maruti [Get Quote] and TCS [Get Quote] were down 2% each at Rs 908 and Rs 975, respectively.

...and the lone gainer

ICICI Bank ended with a gain of 3.5% at Rs 1,357. 

Value & volume toppers

Reliance Natural Resources [Get Quote] topped the value chart with a turnover of Rs 719.20 crore followed by Reliance Petroleum [Get Quote] (Rs 324.80 crore), Reliance Energy (Rs 319.50 crore), Reliance Communications (Rs 278.25 crore) and Reliance Capital [Get Quote] (Rs 243 crore).