Smith Barney website crashes as market heaves

NEW YORK, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The website of retail brokerage Smith Barney, a unit of Citigroup Inc (C.N), crashed on Thursday, turning back online investors on perhaps the busiest trading week to date.

A company support staffer said the site was down for about two hours during North America's morning markets. Clients were being told to call their financial advisor to make trades.

It was unclear why the site was down on Thursday, as stock markets heaved for a fourth-straight day in response to the crisis in the financial sector.

U.S. stocks plunged to a three-year low on Wednesday as panic gripped investors following the takeover of Merrill Lynch & Co Inc MER.N, bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEHMQ.PK) and the near-collapse of American International Group Inc (AIG.N) over a three-day span this week.

On Wednesday, a source told Reuters Smith Barney parent Citigroup was among the potential buyers for savings and loan company Washington Mutual Inc WM.N, although a separate report on Thursday said it was unlikely to make a bid. (Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Andre Grenon)