ASX 200 plunges: 17 shares you should have been watching

The local share market tanked today, led lower by the major banks and miners as well as several other blue-chip shares.

Here's a quick recap:

• S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) down 0.8% to 5538 points
• ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) down 0.8% to 5595 points
• AUD/USD at US 74.20 cents
• Iron Ore at US$79.18 a tonne, according to the Metal Bulletin
• Gold at US$1,142.45 an ounce
• Brent oil at US$53.93 a barrel

BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) shed 1.8% and 1.4%, respectively, after the iron ore price fell more than 5%.

BHP's spin-off South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) also shed 3.5%, while Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) declined 1.6% and 0.9%.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) were the worst of the banks. They slipped 0.7% and 0.3%, respectively.

Elsewhere, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) tanked 10.7% following its capital raising and Sky Network Television Ltd (ASX: SKT) shed another 4.2%.

Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN) shares entered a trading halt after it said it would sell Melco International.

Poultry business TEGEL GRP FPO NZX (ASX: TGH) plunged 18.1% on its earnings report, with rival Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) down 0.6% as well.

The gold miners suffered some huge losses today. Troy Resources Ltd (ASX: TRY) plunged 34.7% following an operations update. Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) also crashed 5.2% and 8% after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates overnight.

On a more positive note, QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) gained 1.5% and Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) lifted 2.3%.

Here are Thursday's top stories:

1. Why shareholders of Inghams Group Ltd are freaking out today
2. 10 dividend shares I'm tipping to shine in 2017
3. Australian Dollar (A$) plummets: 3 shares to profit now
4. What higher US interest rates means to Aussie investors
5. Crown Resorts Ltd sells Macau & shareholders can expect a big payday
6. Why I think Sirtex Medical Limited shares are a clear sell