THE key Straits Times Index plummeted 74.76 points, or 2.91 per cent, to 2,495.91 on turnover of 463.571 million shares valued at $486.738 million (US$339.723 million).

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones 425 to 62.

Shares in UOB shed 66 cents to $17.90 while DBS lost 40 cents at $16.62. OCBC traded at $7.45, down 24 cents. Other losers were Lyxor China, Jardine C&C, Singapore Airlines and CapitaLand.