Asian shares fell on Monday, extending the latest losses on Wall Street, as China reported a slowdown in exports.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 1.4 per cent to 26,299.19 while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.6 per cent to 2,539.59. The Kospi in South Korea declined 0.7 per cent to 2,061.25.
Australia’s S&P ASX 200 gave up 0.3 per cent to 5,757.50. India’s Sensex dropped 0.6 per cent to 35,801.95. Shares also fell in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Japan’s markets were closed for a holiday.
US stock indexes finished a hair lower on Friday after the falling price of oil weighed on energy companies, reports AP.
The S&P 500 nevertheless closed out its third straight winning week following a brutal stretch in December, edging 0.1 percent lower to 2,596.26.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped less than 0.1 per cent to 23,995.95 and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.2 per cent, to 6,971.48.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks ticked up 0.1 per cent to 1,447.38.
Benchmark US crude oil gave up 50 cents to $51.09 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It lost 1.9 per cent to settle at $51.59 per barrel on Friday.
Brent crude, the international standard, lost 60 cents to $59.88. It sank 1.9 percent to $60.48 a barrel in London.
The dollar was trading at 108.13 yen, down from 108.48 yen on Friday. The euro rose to $1.1474 from $1.1466.