Publications
Partners
Hong Kong - Asian shares and the dollar sank on Friday on growing concerns about the global economy while the head of the IMF warned the eurozone could slip into recession if governments do not act.
Investors took their lead from a heavy sell-off on Wall Street, which wiped out the previous day's Federal Reserve-fuelled gains. Fears of a fall-off in demand also sent oil traders fleeing, pushing Brent crude prices to a four-year low.
Tokyo tumbled 1.15% to 15 300.55, Sydney shed 2.05% to 5 188.3 and Seoul slipped 1.24% to 1 940.92.
Hong Kong shed 1.90% to 23 088.54 while Shanghai eased 0.62% to 2 374.54.
Taipei was closed for a public holiday.
Markets surged after minutes released Wednesday from the Fed's most recent meeting indicated policymakers could refrain from hiking US interest rates any time soon as global economic and geopolitical woes were offsetting a domestic recovery.
That came as a relief to dealers who had come to expect a rise before the bank's mid-2015 timetable.
However, that elation was erased late Thursday after another round of negative eurozone data, including a 5.8% slump in German exports in August. Leading German think tanks also slashed their growth forecasts for the eurozone's largest economy.
READ: German exports plunge amid global crises
"Overriding everything is just the concern that European growth is weak and getting weaker," said William Lynch of Hinsdale Associates.
On Wall Street the Dow tumbled 1.97%, the S&P 500 shed 2.07% and the Nasdaq sank 2.02%.
The dollar, which touched a six-year high above ¥110 last week, was struggling at ¥107.80 in Asia on Friday, compared with ¥107.84 late in New York. The euro fetched ¥136.86 against ¥136.87 in US trade and well down from the ¥137.70 seen earlier on Thursday in Tokyo.
The Japanese currency, a safe haven investment, has spiked as traders look to protect their cash.
The euro also bought $1.2670 against $1.2691.
Oil prices were hit by demand worries. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for November delivery was down $1.92 at $83.85, its weakest since June 2012. Brent crude fell $1.65 to $88.40, levels last seen in November 2010.
Gold was at $1 222.00 an ounce against $1 230.80 late on Thursday.
In other markets:
- Mumbai closed down 1.28% at 26 297.38 points.
- Tata Motors closed down 5.31% to 492.35 rupees and Reliance Industries closed up 0.59% at 960.30 rupees.
- Bangkok lost 0.51% to 1 552.72.
Giant oil company PTT dropped 2.93% to 364.00 baht, while Airports of Thailand fell 1.79% to 219.00 baht.
- Malaysia's main stock index ended lower 10.03 points at 1 808.88.
CIMB shares fall 4.6% to 6.66 ringgit, Malayan Banking lost 1.52% to 9.70 while Telekom Malaysia added 0.29% to 6.85 ringgit.
- Singapore closed 1.09% lower at 3 223.87.
Property developer Wing Tai Holdings fell 0.29% to close at Sg$1.75 and Oversea-Chinese Banking lost 1.02% to end at Sg$9.74.
- Jakarta ended down 0.62% at 4 962.96.
Auto company Astra International fell 3.35% to 6 500 rupiah, while cigarette maker Gudang Garam gained 1.43% to 56 600 rupiah.
- Wellington fell 0.78% to 5 224.14.
Fletcher Building was down 1.69% at NZ$8.72 and Chorus slipped 0.52% to NZ$1.92.
- Manila closed 0.48% lower, dipping 34.54 points to 7 167.35.
Ayala Corp. gained 0.3% to 33.55 pesos while GT Capital was unchanged at 1 080 pesos. Philippine Long Distance Telephone fell 1.12% to 3 010 pesos.
