MUMBAI: Market benchmark Sensex plunged by 318 points on Friday to hit a fresh 19-month low of 24,455.04 as muted earnings by Hindustan Unilever and oil prices that fell below $30 a barrel combined to pull down the domestic equities for a second straight week.

The Finance Ministry statement of the government sticking to fiscal consolidation roadmap without compromising on development spending and expenditure budgeted for the current fiscal also failed to stem the rout.

On a weekly basis, the BSE Sensex fell by 479.29 points or 1.92 per cent while the broader NSE Nifty lost 163.55 points or 2.15 per cent. Previous week’s performance was much gloomier at 4.68 per cent and 4.54 per cent, respectively. —PTI