Tuesday, June 6 2006 11:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The benchmark index cracked below 10,000 point level to trade lower by about 330 points in early trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange today (June 6,2006) on heavy selling by funds amidst panic selling by retail investors.

The BSE index, which closed 237.85 points lower yesterday, crashed by 328.59 points at 9,884.89 in first five minutes of trading following steep fall in index-related stocks value.

Similarly, on the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty broke crucial 3,000 mark level and quoted lower by 106.35 points at 2910.30.

Stock brokers said reports of meltdown on the global markets and hike in fuel prices triggered increased selling by foreign institutional investors as well as retail investors in heavy-weighted blue chip stocks.

All the 30-index related stocks on the BSE were in the red with huge losses.