Asian stocks continued their declines on Monday, sending the MSCI Asia Pacific Index to a seven-week low, amid concerns a US economic recovery will be delayed, Bloomberg reported. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 1.3 percent to 99.35 by midday in Tokyo. The index has lost 4.2 per cent since June 26. South Korea’s Kospi 2.2 per cent and Taiwan’s Taiex Index shed 3.3 per cent, its biggest drop since June 15. In deal news, Kirin Holdings, Japan’s biggest beverage maker, surged 8.4 per cent after the Nikkei newspaper said the company may merge with Suntory Holdings.
Asian markets (Mon)
04:oo BST
Nikkei down 94.44 (-1%) at 9,192.84
Topix down 7.22 (-0.83%) at 865.28
Hang Seng down 306.6 (-1.73%) at 17,401.82
US markets (Fri)
S&P500 down 3.55 (-0.4%) at 879.13
DJIA down 36.65 (-0.45%) at 8146.52
Nasdaq up 3.48 (0.2%) at 1,756.03
European markets (Fri)
Eurofirst 300 down 9.03 (-1.10%) at 814.29
FTSE100 down 31.49 (-0.76%) at 4,127.17
Currencies
04:10BST
€/$ 1.39460 (1.39960)
$/¥ 92.95 (92.95)
£/$ 1.6145 (1.6297)
Commodities
04:15 BST
Brent Crude (ICE) down $0.07 at $60.45
Light Crude (Nymex) up $0.06 at $59.95
100 Oz Gold (Comex) up $0.50 at $913.0
10-year government bond yields (%)
04:16 BST
US 3.31 (3.38)
UK 3.73 (3.78)
Germany 3.27 (3.30)
Japan 1.30 (1.30)
Sources: FT, Bloomberg