The downward trend continued in the stock markets on Tuesday with the benchmark Sensex closing below 15,000 points level by losing nearly 177 points as selling pressure in heavyweight stocks mainly in banking, realty and metal sectors showed no signs of lessening.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex gained for the second straight day on Thursday on continuing buying support in heavyweight stocks, particularly Reliance Industries.

Asian stocks opened sharply lower and the dollar fell Monday morning despite steps taken by the U.S. Central Bank to avert a credit crisis that threatens to plunge the U.S. economy into recession.

European and Asian stock markets have dropped sharply Monday, and the dollar fell, hours after the U.S. Central Bank made moves to avert a credit crisis that threatens to plunge the U.S. economy into recession.

After the meltdown on Monday, the benchmark Sensex dropped another 338 points, stretching the downward trend for the fourth day in a row, with banking stocks sliding on reports of ICICI Bank reporting a market to market loss of 264.34 million dollar.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today plummeted by 523 points, its biggest loss in the last two weeks with software and metal stocks falling on reports of contraction in US service industry.

Asian stocks recouped some of their steep losses of the past two days after market confidence received a shot in the arm from the U.S. Federal Reserve. But as VOA's Heda Bayron reports from Hong Kong, stock analysts say the markets may remain volatile despite Tuesday's U.S. interest-rate cut.

Asian shares started the week on a fairly gloomy note on Monday after a fall in US markets on Friday. Another reason for the decline was a lowering of the growth forecasts for the region by a major broker.

Last week, the Hong Kong market fell sharply. The subprime crisis led a US recession. Weakness in the American markets dragged down the Hong Kong market.

Yesterday, the Hong Kong market crashed sharply for the second consecutive day. Five American and European central banks pumped liquidity into the market to ease the liquidity crisis. Investors were not convinced that the credit crisis was over.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex went up by 122 points in early trade on sustained buying by funds in heavy-weight stocks, despite weak global trend.

Yesterday, the Hong Kong market surged on the strength of local properties. The market expected interest rate cut. Investors chased property stocks. Sun Hung Kai Properties, Henderson Land, Swire Pacific and Sino Land rose strongly to pace the blue chips.