HONG KONG, Oct 16: Asian markets were battered on Thursday, with Tokyo suffering its worst loss in 21 years, as traders were spooked by renewed fears of a global recession.

Investors took their lead from Wall Street, which suffered its worst ever points fall Wednesday, as concerns grew for the world economy, ignoring the trillions of dollars governments had spent shoring up the banking sector.

Japan’s Nikkei plummeted 11.41 per cent, the benchmark’s second-largest per centage loss ever and the steepest fall since the “Black Monday” crash in October 1987.

The fall came just two days after the index recorded its biggest ever gain of 14.15. The market has lost 45 per cent in 2008.

TOKYO: Japanese shares slumped by 11.41 per cent, dealers said.

The Nikkei lost 1,089.02 points to end at 8,458.45, wiping out most of its gains earlier in the week.

Japan’s central bank meanwhile pumped 600 billion yen (6.0 billion dollars) into the short-term money market to try to keep credit flowing.

HONG KONG: Share prices closed 4.8 per cent lower, dealers said.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 767.78 points at 15,230.52 after a rollercoaster session. Turnover was 64.33 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$8.25 billion).

All but two of the index’s 42 blue chips ended the day lower. The index has fallen 15 per cent so far this month.

SYDNEY: Australian shares closed down 6.7 per cent, dealers said.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was down 286.6 points at 4,013.4, while the broader All Ordinaries dropped 284.4 to 3,988.1.

A total of 1.29 billion shares worth $4.73 billion (US$3.12 billion) USchanged hands.

BHP fell 13.13 per cent to 25.80 Australian dollars, while Rio Tinto shed 15.91 per cent at 66.01.

SINGAPORE: Shares closed 5.25 per cent lower, dealers said.

The blue-chip Straits Times Index finished 108.19 points lower at 1,951.20, after sinking by 6.63 per cent at midday.

Volume totalled 1.41 billion shares worth $1.40 billion (US$946 million).

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian share prices slumped 3.1 per cent, brokers said.

The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 29.86 points to close at 920.02.

3.72 on weaker crude palm oil prices and concerns over shrinking demand.

JAKARTA: Indonesian shares closed 3.8 per cent lower, dealers said.

The Jakarta Composite Index fell 57.13 points to 1,463.28.

The index has so far risen 0.8 per cent since the start of the week but fallen 47 per cent since the start of 2008.

Telkom fell 6.3 per cent to 6,700 rupiah after its American Depository receipts in New York fell 16 per cent.

Nickel miner Inco dropped 8.9 per cent to 2,050 rupiah.

Shares in Indosat surged 9.0 per cent to 5,700 rupiah.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand shares tumbled 4.82 per cent, dealers said.

The benchmark NZX-50 index fell 139.95 points to close at 2,764.69.

Market leader Telecom dropped to its lowest level in more than 16 years, losing 21 cents, or 8.6 per cent, to $2.23 .

MUMBAI: Indian shares closed down 2.11pc, dealers said.

The benchmark 30-share Sensex finished 227.63 points lower at 10,581.49 after earlier diving 7.32 per cent to 10,017.8 -- a level last seen in July 2006.

—AFP