The 30-share index BSE Sensex continued to rule sharply lower during noon owing to decline in ITC and Infosys.

L&T, ONGC and ICICI Bank remained under heavy pressure.

Pharma scrips hit quite poorly today, with the BSE Healthcare Index dropping 1.7%.

Ranbaxy Labs headed the selling list, shedding more than 5% whereas Sun Pharma dropped 3%. Dr Reddy's Labs was down 2% prior to March quarter income.

Poor industrial output facts for March and decline in European bouses mattered.

France's CAC and Britain's FTSE declined 0.5-1%.

The BSE Sensex lost 148 points to trade at 16,272 chaired by 24 constituents.

In the meantime, the broad-based Nifty declined 46.45 points or 0.94% to rule at 4,919.25, heading in the direction of the second weekly declension.

Among the sectoral indices, the BSE FMCG, Metal, Capital Goods, Realty, IT and Power indices lost 1-1.7%.

Industrial output for the month of March came in at negative 3.5% as against 4.1% in February due to disappointing growth in capital goods, mining and manufacturing.

Index heavyweights ITC, Infosys, Larsen & Toubro and ONGC lost 2-2.6%.

The country's biggest private sector lender ICICI Bank shed 0.7%.

But, the scrip of Tata Motors, RIL, Bajaj Auto, BHEL and Hero Motocorp surged 0.3-0.7%.