Asian markets fell on Thursday, dragging the regional benchmark index to the lowest in five weeks, after US and European equity markets were left reeling on Wednesday as a barrage of negative corporate and economic news battered already fragile investor sentiment. Fears about the banking sector were revived by news of a record quarterly loss at Deutsche Bank, huge job cuts at -Barclays and a broker warning that HSBC might need to raise up to $30bn this year
Asian markets (Thurs)
05:15am GMT
Nikkei down 348.83 (-4.13%) to 8,089.62
Topix down 18.59 (-2.27%) 800.80
Hang Seng down 737.23 (-5.38%) at 12,967.38
US markets (Wed)
DJIA down 248.42 (-2.94%) at 8,200.14
Nasdaq down 56.82 (-3.67%) at 1,489.64
S&P500 down 29.17 (-3.35%) at 842.62
European markets (Wed)
FTSE100 down 218.51 (-4.97%) at 4,180.64
Eurofirst 300 down 36.19 (-4.31%) at 804.17
Currencies
05:10 GMT
€/$ 1.3175 (1.3263)
$/¥ 88.89 (89.42)
£/$ 1.4606 (1.4546)
Commodities
05:15 GMT
Brent Crude (Feb09) down $0.73 at $44.35
Light Crude (Feb09) down $1.05 at $36.23
100 Oz Gold (Feb09) up $1.20 at $810.00
Copper (Mar09) down 15.00 at $3,280
10-year government bond yields (%)
US 2.17 (2.31)
UK 3.11 (3.21)
Germany 2.92 (3.00)
Japan 1.22 (1.25)
Sources: FT, Reuters