There are scores of other stocks which are trading close to their 52-week lows. This also reflects the harsh reality that buyers, including retail investors, are virtually fleeing the market. Factors like fears of a payment crisis, Nasdaq hitting new lows, and big bull Ketan Parekh's large position in select ICE stocks, have fuelled massive offloading in these counters. A look at the A and B1 group stocks, which have hit new 52-week lows on March 12, reveals a gloomy picture, especially the TMT sector. Almost 110 TMT stocks have touched new yearly lows.

On Monday, as many as 243 stocks in these groups have touched a new 52-week low. Compared to their prices on Budget day, stocks like HFCL, Aftek Infosys, Maars Software, Advent Computer, Silverline Technologies, Global Tele, DSQ Software, HCL Infosystems and Aptech have shed 50-59 per cent, that too in just seven trading sessions (till Monday). Besides the TMT stocks, scrips like Adani Exports (49 per cent), Goldstone Engineering (50 per cent), Hinduja Finance (48.62 per cent) and Induj Enert (49.15) figure in the list of the top 20 losers.

In the list of the top 50 losers, stocks like Cybermate International, Visual Software, Padmini Technologies, Datasoft App, Rolta India, Pentamedia Graphics, Tata Elxsi, Shyam Telecom, Polaris Software, NIIT, Saregama Industries, Satyam Comp, Jain Studios, Tips Industries, Hughes Software and Sierra Optima, feature. In the past seven trading days, three stocks have shed values in the range of 35-48 per cent since February 28. Infosys Technologies, which is currently trading at its new 52-week low, has also fallen 30 per cent during this period. There are very few old-economy stocks that figure in the list of top 200 losers. Few stocks from pharma, which is considered to be a defensive sector, have also touched their 52-week lows. u These include scrips like Lupin Labs, Wockhardt Life, Torrent Pharma, Elder Pharma and Glenmark Pharma, which have fallen 21-29 per cent.

FMCG stocks like Agro Dutch Foods (41 per cent), Godrej Foods (29 per cent), Nirma (22 per cent) and Parke Davis (23 per cent) have hit a new yearly low. Some newly listed companies from sectors like software, media and pharma also figure in the list.