Asian shares slip after Wall St losses

Hong Kong - Asian markets suffered a sell-off on Tuesday after heavy losses on Wall Street fuelled by last week's worse-than-expected US jobs figures.

The yen eased back against the dollar and euro, although that was not enough to prevent a slide on Japan's Nikkei as it reopened after a long weekend.

Tokyo tumbled 2.05% by the break, Hong Kong slipped 0.95%, Sydney eased 0.90%, Shanghai lost 0.28% and Seoul fell 0.13%.

Friday's report from the Labour Department showing the US economy added just 74 000 jobs in December - well below the 197 000 expected by analysts - fuelled concerns about growth going into the new year.

On Wall Street the Dow fell 1.09%, the S&P 500 shed 1.26% and the Nasdaq lost 1.47%.

"The jobs data came in so far below expectations that a sharp knee-jerk market reaction is natural, especially considering how far the dollar has fallen," Monex market analyst Toshiyuki Kanayama told Dow Jones Newswires.

"The selling is unlikely to have a long-lasting effect on market sentiment, but could lead to a more thorough shakeout of what has been a very bullish two-month period."

The result fuelled speculation the Federal Reserve could hold off any further reductions to its stimulus programme at this month's policy meeting, which in turn has pressured the dollar.

In early trade the greenback bought ¥103.05 compared with ¥102.98 in New York on Monday afternoon, but was steeply down from ¥104.93 in Tokyo on Friday. The euro was at ¥141.20 from ¥140.77 and also well off the mid-¥104  levels seen last week.

The single currency also fetched $1.3664 against $1.3670 in New York.

In Tokyo, drinks giant Suntory Beverage & Food rose 1.2% after its parent Suntory Holdings agreed to buy Beam, the second-largest maker of American whiskey, for $13.6bn. If the deal is completed, it will create the world's fourth-largest liquor company.

On oil markets New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for February delivery, was up two cents at $91.82 in early Asian trading while Brent North Sea crude for February eased 8c at $106.67.

Gold fetched $1 250.40 at 02:10 GMT compared with $1 246.29 late on Monday.