The benchmark Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex fell by 555 points to end at 24,851.83 on Thursday, the lowest it has fallen in 19 months. The National Stock Exchange Nifty also slipped below the 7,600-mark to 7,568 at closing. The falls came after China forced its stock market to halt trading for the second time this week. Major losers that dragged down the indices were Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki, Axis Bank, BHEL, ONGC, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, M&M and Dr Reddy’s.

China’s central bank on Thursday lowered the yuan against the US dollar by 0.51% to 6.5646, the lowest since March 2011. The devaluation sent the Rupee and other currencies across the region reeling and domestic stock markets tumbling, reported Reuters. Chinese markets have fluctuated as regulators gradually withdraw the emergency measures that were imposed after the country's main stock index plunged in June last year, reported AP.