Snapping two-days of gains, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange opened 58 points lower, at 18,391 on Friday morning, on profit-booking by investors.

Later, selling pressure intensified, and the Sensex had lost as much as 284 points, or 1.5 percent, to 18,166, in afternoon trade, a short while ago.

Elsewhere, Japan’s main stock index rose 1.2 percent, while the markets in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore remained shut for the Lunar New Year holidays.