The key stock exchanges had a gap-down opening on Tuesday, with the S&P BSE Sensex losing over 450 points as investors were spooked on the surprise resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel on Monday.

Further, early trends of the Assembly election results in five states which showed a neck and neck fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in at least three also weighed on the sentiments.

At 9.16 a.m., the Sensex traded at 34,502.62 points, lower by 457.10 points or 1.31 per cent from the previous close.

It had opened at 34,584.13 against the previous close of 34,959.72 points on Monday.

The Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange traded at 10,346.90 points, lower by 141.55 points or 1.35 per cent from the previous close. -IANS