By Goh Eng Yeow

THE bears have Singapore's stock market in a deathly grip after yesterday's plunge left share prices at a two-year low.

Banks were whiplashed as financial stocks across the region were sold down on fears that a global economic slowdown would hit Asia hard.

Rig builders and other marine stocks were also ravaged as crude oil weakened to below US$108 a barrel, bringing its loss this week to almost 7 per cent.

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