TOKYO, Jan 27 ― Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index dropped more than two per cent today on concerns over the potential impact of a new coronavirus that has killed at least 80 people in China.
The Nikkei 225 index lost 2.03 per cent, or 483.67 points, to close at 23,343.51, while the broader Topix index fell 1.61 per cent, or 27.87 points, to 1,702.57.
“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 ¥109.07 (RM4.09) in Asian afternoon trade, against ¥109.23 in New York on Friday.
“It's hard to buy actively as the outlook for the outbreak remains uncertain,” said Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities.
“While watching the impact of the virus, investors will also pay attention to corporate results” as Japan's major firms will release their nine-month results starting this week, he told AFP.
In Tokyo, airlines were among the losers due to concerns over the outbreak, with Japan Airlines diving 3.89 per cent to ¥3,134 and ANA Holdings losing 3.01 per cent to ¥3,441.
Cosmetics maker Shiseido was off 5.48 per cent at ¥7,060 on continued fears over lower demand from Chinese tourists.
Market heavyweight Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo casual wear operator which has a number of outlets and supplying partner plants in China, was down 5.66 per cent at ¥58,460.
Automakers were also lower, with Honda, which has a plant in the quarantined city of Wuhan where the virus emerged, trading down 1.68 per cent at ¥2,910.5, and Toyota down 1.52 per cent at ¥7,752. ― AFP
