Live Market Updates: BSE Sensex down 100 points; Asian markets widen losses

The benchmark indices are beginning to crack ahead of the current account deficit numbers which are slated to be announced today. Sources told CNBC-TV18 that the number for Q3FY13 can be 6.1 percent. The volatility will also be on a higher side on account of expiry today.

Cues from the Asian markets are also weak. China is down 2.5 percent. Nikkei is down 1.5 percent. Rise in Italy's funding costs is weighing on markets which is already worried about the ramifications of Cyprus' controversial rescue deal. Live Quotes

The Sensex is down 107 points at 18596 and the Nifty down 29 points at 5612. Live Quotes

Auto stocks have cracked in trade today with heavyweights like Hero Moto, Tata Motors and M&M down over 2 percent. Bharti Airtel, DLF, HDFC, Cairn India also accompanied auto stocks on the losing side. Full list

Defensives like Infosys, HCL Tech and Lupin are witnessing some buying today. Full list

Hit by an acute slowdown in its commercial vehicle business, Tata Motors will shutdown its plant at Jamshedpur for 11 days.

Though the company states the shutdown will be for maintenance purposes, a senior Tata Motors  official told CNBC-TV18 that the lull in business proved to be a good time to shut down the plant from March 27 to April 6.

Titan Industries is down over 3 percent after a block deal of nearly 3.89 crore shares  or 4.3 percent equity changed hands on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The block deal was executed at Rs 250.10 a share.

GMR Infrastructure's Canadian arm will divest 50 percent stake in Tshedza Mining Resource in South Africa for an undisclosed sum. This is the second major divestment by GMR in a global location. Prior to this, it sold its stake in a power plant in Singapore. The stock is trading flat.

Rupee fell slightly to 54.4250/4300, tracking a lower euro in early trade. The euro languished at four-month lows on Thursday.

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