] Indian stocks plunged as much as 17 percent on Monday in ] their biggest ever intra-day drop in a frenzied sell-off ] on signs that a new government dependent on leftist ] support will struggle to push through economic reforms. ] ] The market turmoil forced the Reserve Bank of India to ] make an emergency statement, reassuring investors that it ] would intervene if necessary to make sure the banking ] system and foreign exchange market worked smoothly. ] ] ] The comments helped drag markets off session lows, but ] stocks still ended down 11.1 percent on the day, at their ] lowest since October, with $27 billion of investor wealth ] wiped out. ] ... ] Indian markets have been heading down for three weeks ] since exit polls first indicated the pro-reform Bharatiya ] Janata Party-led (BJP) government may not return. Including ] Monday's plunge, share markets have lost some $75 billion ] since then. [ Ouch. -k] Forbes.com: WRAPUP 3-Indian stocks crash on fears left may stall reforms |