Sensex crashes below 25,000 level; at 15-month low

Sensex crashed below the 25,000-level for the first time in 15 months and Nifty fell below the 7,600-level. Sensex plunged 308.09 points and Nifty was down 96.25 points.

The benchmark BSE Sensex crashed below the psychologically significant 25,000-mark -- its lowest level in about 14 months -- in the pre-close session as intense selling remained unabated on global growth worries.

A sharp fall in rupee value against the dollar as well as fears about a slowdown in China and growth concerns continued to rattle investors sentiment. The domestic currency was trading fresh two-year low at 66.83 per dollar.

The BSE Sensex erased early gains and was trading down by 10.20 points in mid-session following all-round selling seen mainly in Healthcare, Metal, Teck, capital goods, IT, power and oils&gas sectors.

The Sensex resumed higher at 25,302.98 and moved in a range of 25,387.32 and 25,056.80 before quoting 25,191.70 at 1200 hours, down 10.20 points or 0.04% from its last Friday's close.

The 50-share Nifty was also down 12.55 points or 0.16% to 7,642.50 at 1200 hours.

In overseas markets, Asian stocks reversed early losses as Key indices in China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea were up 0.01% to 0.88%, while Singapore and Taiwan were off 0.42% and 0.25% respectively.

The US stocks had skidded on Friday, after the August jobs report failed to give a clear view on the Federal Reserve's interest rates.

-PTI