Sensex crashes to lowest level of 2015 (Third Lead)

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Wednesday crashed 722.77 points, or 2.63 percent, to its lowest level in 2015 as the mood turned negative over factors such as lack of clarity on retrospective taxation and muted corporate results.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed 227.80 points or 2.74 percent down at 8,097 points, as per provisional figures.

The 30-scrip Sensex, which opened at 27,473.36 points, closed at 26,717.37 points (provisional) -- down 722.77 points, or 2.63 percent, over the previous day's close at 27,440.14 points. The Sensex touched 27,501.15 points and a low of 26,677.64 points during the day.

All stocks that go into the Sensex -- except one stock, of Bharti Airtel -- ended in the red. At a broader level, of the 2,841 stocks that traded on the Mumbai bourse on Wednesday, 2,152 ended in the negative territory, and only 580 managed to stay afloat, while 109 remained unchanged.