The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today tanked over 268 points to trade below the 17,000-points level in opening trade in line with the meltdown in overseas markets on concerns that Greece’s debt crisis could spread to other countries.
The 30—share index, which had lost over 421 points in the previous two sessions, plunged further by 268.31 points, or 1.56 per cent to slump below the 17,000-points level - for the first time since March 5 - at 16,868.83 points.
All the sectoral indices, led by metals and realty, were trading in the negative zone with losses up to 2.95 per cent.
Likewise, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell below 5,100-points level to trade at 84.45 points, or 1.64 per cent down at 5,064.05.
Marketmen said investors sold shares heavily after a steep fall in the US and Asian stocks markets on concerns that Europe’s attempt to contain Greece’s debt crisis would not stop it from spreading to other countries.
Sterlite Industries fell 4.44 per cent to Rs 740.65, Tata Steel by 3.40 per cent to Rs 558.90, Hindalco Industries by 2.58 per cent to Rs 158.70, Reliance Industries by 1.26 per cent to Rs 1,008, Infosys Technologies by 1.43 per cent to Rs 2,628.70 and State Bank of India by 1.35 per cent to Rs 2,250.40.
Meanwhile, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 2.02 per cent lower in yesterday’s trade, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 1.97 per cent in the morning trade today.
