Another Day of Big Losses On Wall Street

Trader Joseph Chirico, foreground right, gathers with colleagues at the post that trades Philip Morris International on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, March 18, 2008.  Wall Street gave up some of its steep gains Tuesday while investors digested the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point. Many investors had expected a cut of a full percentage point. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The huge selloff continues on Wall Street, where the Dow fell more than one-thousand points in the first few minutes of trading today.

Markets around the world have plunged today after China’s main index sank 8.5 percent. The heavy losses come amid fears over the health of the world’s second-largest economy.

Oil prices, commodities and the currencies of many developing countries also tumbled on concerns that a sharp slowdown in China might hurt economic growth around the globe.

In Russia, the ruble has plunged 2.3 percent to hit a seven-month low amid a further drop in oil prices, the country’s key export.

Stay with KMJ for continuing coverage of the progress on Wall Street