TOKYO, Jan 27 ― Tokyo's key Nikkei index dropped more than two per cent at the open today on concerns over the potential impact of a new coronavirus that has killed 80 people in China.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index lost 2.04 per cent, or 486.13 points, to 23,341.05 in early trade, while the broader Topix index fell 1.84 per cent, or 31.77 points, to 1,698.67.

"Worries over the coronavirus have been strengthening, as it has spread to France, Nepal, Australia, and Malaysia, with investors nervously watching reports about the increasing number of patients,” Okasan Online Securities chief strategist Yoshihiro Ito said in a commentary.

The dollar fetched ¥108.93 (RM4.05) in early Asian trade, against ¥109.23 in New York on Friday.

In Tokyo, airlines were among the losers, with Japan Airlines diving 4.20 per cent to ¥3,124 and ANA Holdings losing 3.94 per cent to ¥3,408.

Automakers were also lower, with Honda, which has a plant in the quarantined city of Wuhan where the virus emerged, trading down 1.84 per cent at ¥2,906, and Nissan down 2.12 per cent at ¥603.

Market heavyweight Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo casual wear operator which has a number of outlets and supplying partner plants in China, was down 3.43 per cent at ¥59,840.

On Wall Street, the Dow ended down 0.6 per cent at 28,989.73. ― AFP