The percentage drop was the Big Board's largest, on a volume of more than 1.5 million shares.

It was the biggest decline in points ever and the biggest percentage drop since 1989.

It was the first double-digit percentage drop in more than two years.

The 3.1 percent decline was the Tokyo market's 10th-worst percentage drop.

But this was the largest percentage drop in at least a quarter-century.

Among other permanent Council members, Russia saw its percentage drop to 2.87 from 4.27.

"And even now, this percentage drop in the Fed funds rates, I think, will help the economy along," he said.

Michigan, for instance, has had the steepest percentage drop in employment among all states over the last year.

Murders, for example, fell nearly 19 percent, from 1,946 in 1993 to 1,581 last year, the largest yearly percentage drop on record, officials said.

The percentage drop, of 32.3 percent, was the Big Board's largest.