Mumbai, March 9 -- The share markets in the country opened with a bloodbath on Monday as both benchmark indices declined sharply in the opening session amid a huge surge in crude oil prices and heavy selling across global markets.

The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,868.05 with a decline of -582.40 points or (-2.38 per cent), while the BSE Sensex opened at 77,056.75 with a decline of -1862.15 or -2.36 per cent, reflecting strong selling pressure across sectors.

The sharp fall in domestic equities comes as crude oil prices surged approximately 25 per cent on Monday to USD 116 per barrel amid the ongoing conflict in Asia, which has raised concerns over inflation and economic growth.

Market experts said the rise in crude prices could signific...