As the spread of novel coronavirus spooked investors, benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty plummeted sharply on Friday. By 9.30 am, trading activity had already been stopped for at least 45 minutes as the Nifty hit lower circuit of 10 per cent amid massive global sell-off. Sensex fell by 3,090 points or 9.43 per cent at 29,687.52 while Nifty breached the 10 per cent lower circuit to fall below 8,700.