Sensex down 194 points in afternoon trading

Mumbai, June 6: The markets today tripped the 10,000 mark and touched a low of 9,885 points as the hike in petrol and diesel prices affected the sentiments of the investors.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensitive Index (Sensex) was 194 points down at 10,018 at 1345 hrs.

ONGC largely witnessed selling pressure as it will have to share a large part of the oil subsidy burden. However, the refinery shares were mixed, following the announcement of a hike in product prices and cut in custom duties announced by the Government on Monday.

Asian stocks have fared poor after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gloated that interest rates will keep rising in the world's biggest economy.

Key benchmark indices in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia were down between 0.62-2.8 per cent. However, Taiwan Weighted recovered from lower level and moved into positive zone Also, all the BSE indices were trading in the red. Auto was down by 2.38 per cent at 4,596.08, midcap was down by 3.90 per cent to 4,603.29 and PSU was down by 2.60 per cent to Rs 4983.51. Smallcap was down by 4.15 per cent to 5,629.42, metals by 2.77 per cent to Rs 8,028.12 and oil and gas was down by 1.79 to Rs 4,846.

Major scrips which have gained on the index were SBI, up by 1.20 per cent to 824.25 and Bharti Tele by 0.01 per cent to Rs 353.40.

Besides, the losers on the index were - Reliance Energy, ONGC, L&T, Ranbaxy, HLL, NTPC, Hindalco, HLL, NTPC, TataPower, BHEL and Cipla, all down by 2.5 to 6.00 per cent.

UNI