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Markets extend steep losses as China virus death toll rises

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Jan 28, 2020: Asian markets tumbled again Tuesday, extending a global sell-off as the toll from a rapidly spreading Chinese virus spiked to more than 100 dead and thousands infected, with investors fretting over the impact on an already fragile world economy.

Traders have been running for the hills as the coronavirus is reported in more countries, with oil also tanking on expectations that demand in China, the world's top consumer of the commodity, will be hammered.

The outbreak comes during the Lunar New Year break when hundreds of millions of people criss-cross China and spend huge amounts of money.

The government has sealed off Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and other cities in Hubei province, effectively trapping tens of millions of people including thousands of foreigners in a bid to contain the virus.

It has also extended the holiday, initially due to end on January 30, for three days to limit population flows.

Analysts said there were growing fears the crisis could become as bad as the SARS outbreak that hammered markets and the global economy 17 years ago.

The VIX “fear” index, which measures market volatility, soared by a quarter Monday to its highest level since October, when investors were worried about the China-US trade talks.

The crisis comes just as the world economy was showing signs of stability after a long-running growth slowdown.

– 'The ultimate uncertainty' –

“Given that China has rapidly increased its role in the global supply chains, the market continues to price in the worst case, negative growth shock scenarios,” said AxiCorp's Stephen Innes.

“For the most part, traders are flying blind, knowing nothing about the actual implication of (the virus) for global growth,” he said, adding that “there remains a growing sense in the market that contagion levels could get worse before they get better”.

In early trade, Seoul plunged more than three percent and Singapore shed more than two percent while Sydney was off 1.4 percent as investors in those markets returned from a long holiday weekend.

Manila lost more than one percent, while Wellington was off 0.9 percent and Tokyo went into the break 0.9 percent down.

The losses tracked hefty selling in Europe and New York.

“This is now a sell first, ask questions later situation,” Alec Young at FTSE Russell said. “Markets hate uncertainty, and the coronavirus is the ultimate uncertainty — no one knows how badly it will impact the global economy. China is the biggest driver of global growth, so this couldn't have started in a worse place.”

Stocks are falling across the board, with tourism-linked firms such as airlines and casinos among the hardest hit, while there are also big drops in electronics firms such as Samsung in Seoul and Sony in Tokyo as traders contemplate weak sales in China over the holiday.

Gold, a safe haven in times of uncertainty, was slightly lower by hovering near the $1,600 mark, while higher-yielding currencies such as the South Korean won and South African rand were also down.

– Key figures around 0230 GMT –

  • Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 23,124.51 (break)
  • Seoul – Kospi: DOWN 3.1 percent at 2,175.57
  • Hong Kong – Hang Seng: Closed for a public holiday
  • Shanghai – Composite: Closed for a public holiday
  • Brent Crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $59.30 per barrel (new contract)
  • West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.2 percent at $52.92
  • Dollar/yen: UP at 108.93 yen from 108.88 yen at 2140 GMT
  • Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1021 from $1.1019
  • Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3063 from $1.3055
  • Euro/pound: DOWN at 84.36 pence from 84.40 pence
  • New York – DOW: DOWN 1.6 percent at 28,535.80 (close)
  • London – FTSE 100: DOWN 2.3 percent at 7,412.05 (close)

— Bloomberg News contributed to this story —

AFP/APP

Posted on: 2020-01-28T08:40:00+05:00

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