DHAKA: Bangladesh's Dhaka Stock Exchange halted trading on Monday after stocks fell a record 9.25 percent within an hour of opening and thousands of angry investors took to the streets. 

The benchmark Dhaka Stock Exchange general index (DGEN) rose 80 percent in 2010 but has suffered a series of falls in the past three weeks, sparking angry protests from investors and occasional clashes with riot police. 

"The DSE has halted trading as per orders from the Securities and Exchange Commission after the benchmark index plunged 660 points, or 9.25 percent, in the first 54 minutes of trading," exchange spokesman Shafiqual Islam told AFP.