The Australian share market staggered deep Monday, breaching the safe range of 4000 as investors opted to sell and in spite assurances that the Asia-Pacific markets are yet to feel the immediate impact on its sovereign ratings.

The downgrade cast by the Standard&Poor's on the credit standing of the world's largest economy, the U.S., had strongly hammered down the local markets slashing down its value by about $32 billion.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was down 119.3 points, or 2.91 percent, at 3986.10 on Monday's afternoon closing, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 113 points (2.71 per cent) at 4056.70.

Investors have again opted for gold as the commodity rose $1,715.60 an ounce on the Comex in New York, while the spot gold price was trading at US$1709.79 at 4pm AEST.

"There has definitely been an element of 'sell first, ask questions later' in today's trading behaviour - no one really wants to wait around and see how the US market reacts tonight. As expected, losses on the local market are broad based with sellers indiscriminate as they rush to build cash reserves ahead of what is likely to be a volatile period. Calming words from the ECB, or the Fed Reserve or a decisive policy response is what the market most yearns for at the moment," said IG Markets strategist Ben Potter in a briefing to clients.

Investors are wary and concerned that if economies are pushed into a recession, the timing is compounded by the tight fiscal policies implemented by international governments to appease credit markets and domestic politics, according to Ric Spooner, chief market analyst as CMC Markets.

"Governments and central banks in some of the major economies have limited capacity to act as a counter cyclical buffer to weak growth and confidence," noted Mr Spooner.

Although, Australia's economic growth has been secured in the near term with the continuous high demand from China and India, analysts are wary of the lingering effects posed by the global slowdown on the local economy.

China's CPI

CMC Markets Mr Spooner said the release of China's monthly CPI figure on Tuesday will be closely watched.

"Stronger than anticipated inflation in China may make it more difficult for it to stimulate its domestic demand in the face of any major global slowdown in coming months," he added.