MARKETS US stocks slumped decisively into bear market territory on Wednesday as investor sentiment buckled on concerns about the health of the financials sector and fears that slowing economic growth would hurt earnings at technology firms.
Nine of the ten leading industrial sectors fell, knocking the benchmark S&P 500 down 2.3 per cent to 1,244.63 - its lowest level since July 2006 and its first bear market since 2002.
