Asian markets bomb as virus fears fuel global turmoil

A pedestrian wearing a face mask walking past an electric quotation board displaying the Nikkei 225 Index on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on Friday (Feb 28). Asian and European equities spiralled downwards Friday (Feb 28), extending a collapse in world markets that has wiped trillions of dollars off valuations as the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world with the WHO warning the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak was now at a "decisive point". - AFP

HONG KONG: Asian and European equities spiralled downwards Friday (Feb 28), extending a collapse in world markets that has wiped trillions of dollars off valuations as the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world with the WHO warning the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak was now at a "decisive point".

Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore and Seoul were among the bourses that fell more than 3% while Jakarta was hammered more than 4%.