Sentiment was also dampened on fears of poor agriculture output as monsoon deficit widened, triggering selling activity, brokers said.
Selling by funds intensified, tracking global sell-off as investors await the release of a US jobs report for August that could determine the Federal Reserve's timetable for hiking interest rates.
The 30-share index, which slumped by 521 points in early trade, continued its slide to quote 645.72 points or 2.50 per cent down at 25,119.06 points during mid-session trade, its lowest level since July 2014.
All the sectoral indices led by realty, infrastructure and bankex plunged up to 4.15 per cent.
The NSE Nifty, which cracked the crucial 7,700-mark in early trade, slipped further to trade 192.45 points, or 2.46 per cent down at 7,630.55.
Among the 30-Sensex constituents, major losers that dragged down the key indices from their crucial levels were Vedanta, Tata Steel, Hindalco, Dr Reddy's, Axis Bank, Tata Motors, GAIL, ICICI Bank, Sun Pharma, NTPC and SBI.
Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei tumbled 2.15 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.45 per cent.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
