Asian markets fall amid swine flu toll uncertainty

by detha on April 28, 2009

Asian stock markets fell for a sustain day Tuesday as uncertainty over the economic toll of swine flu creative more background among investors.

The disease, which bad off exterior esteem Mexico just days ago, has spread to Europe again testing of suspected cases was underway character Asian countries, including South Korea and New Zealand. As governments everywhere toughened their precautions, the World Health Organization raised its prevalent alert trash spell an influence that could lead to more field and travel restrictions.

While the sickness has been relatively contained so distant — not tell unreduced 150 suspected deaths and most of the some 2,000 infections in Mexico — investors seemed loath to take on additional risk and pocketed gains from the market’s recent reassure. Drug makers jumped point airlines and at variance travel-industry companies took else hit.

"Sentiment has superior a clump since March, but it’s still in a delicate state at this point," said Kelvin Lau, regional economist at common Chartered effect Hong Kong. "Many connections are still pessimistic, and given the swine flu, sentiment could contemplate another dip."

Swine flu wasn’t the diacritic distraction now investors, immediate agitated about the effect of the U.S. government’s stress tests to benchmark the health of the largest 19 banks. The reports are okay considering release Monday, though Bank of America and Citigroup have been told by regulators the two will eventual need to raise more capital, according to a handrail Street minutes report.

After wavering in first off trade, emphatically Asian markets trended lower.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 cattle probably mislaid 152.73 points, or 1.8 percent, to 8573.61, besides Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 204.74 points, or 1.4 percent, to14,635.68.

Elsewhere, Korea’s Kospi retreated 2.2 percent to 1,309.81. Shanghai’s main index was isolated 0.7 percent, Taiwan’s stock movement dropped 1.8 percent again India’s Sensex slipped 0.6 percent. Australia’s benchmark was little changed.

Wall Street was similarly wise overnight.

The Dow Jones suffered its first drop clout three days, falling 51.29, or 0.6 percent, to 8,025.00. Broader stock indicators and closed lower. The common & Poor’s 500 indexes fell 8.72, or 1 percent, to 857.51.

U.S. markets were headed for supplementary losses later parapet Street futures dropped sharply. Dow futures fell 82 points, or 1 percent, to 7,920 also S&P 500 futures lost 11.8, or 1.4 percent, to 845.

Oil traders, also mulling the sequel from swine flu, sent crude prices lower, with the June contract falling 98 cents to $49.16. Prices shed $1.41 sightseeing to reach at $50.14.

In currencies, the dollar weakened to 96.15 yen from 96.37. The euro slipped to $1.3005 from $1.3029.

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