Sensex crashes over 300 points to close below 25K level, lowest in 15-months

Mumbai: The BSE Sensex fell more than 1 percent on Monday, marking its lowest close in 15 months, as fears of a deficient monsoon and weak rupee compounded lingering worries about an economic slowdown in China.

The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty closed 308.09 points and 96.25 points lower at 24,893.81 and 7,558.80.

The India Meteorological Department expects monsoon rains to be 82 percent of long-term average this year, weakening further from the previous forecast of 88 percent of the long-term average, NewsRise reported, quoting a senior weather office official.

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed 1.22 percent lower, marking its lowest close since June 4, 2014.

The broader Nifty ended down 1.26 percent, its lowest close since July 15, 2014.