TOKYO: Asian shares were mostly lower Tuesday, tracking losses in Europe, where investor confidence was sapped by political uncertainty in Italy. U.S. markets were closed Monday for a holiday.
KEEPING SCORE: Japan’s Nikkei 225 slumped 0.9 percent to 22,280.91 while South Korea’s Kospi was down 0.7 percent to 2,460.75. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.7 percent to 30,590.00. The Shanghai Composite Index sank 0.6 percent to 3,116.59. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2 percent to 6,014.80. Stocks in Taiwan and the Philippines were lower. Many Southeast Asian markets were closed for holidays.
EUROPEAN MARKETS: France’s CAC 40 fell 0.6 percent to 5,508.93 on Monday and Germany’s DAX dropped 0.6 percent to 12,863.46. Italy’s benchmark FTSE MIB opened higher but drifted lower to close down 2.1 percent at 21,932.69. British markets were closed for a bank holiday.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude plunged $1.07, or 1.6 percent, to $66.81 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract settled at $67.88 per barrel, down $2.83, on Monday. It dropped 4 percent on Friday, battered by reports that OPEC countries and Russia could start pumping more oil soon. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 32 cents to $75.64 per barrel in London.
CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 109.06 yen from 109.42 yen while the euro gained to $1.1628 from $1.162.
