Stocks Sink in Europe

Stocks in Asia were mixed overnight, while bourses in western Europe and the Americas were covered in red.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 shed 0.7% to 17,179, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.6% to 19,333. Mainland China's Shanghai and Shenzhen 300 Index rose 0.9% to 2640.

South Korea's Kospi fell 0.4% to 1436, but Taiwan's Taiex added 0.7% to 7684. Singapore's Straits Times Index was lower by 0.8% at 3159, while India's BSE Sensex advanced 0.6% to 12,983.

London's FTSE 100 fell 1.2% to 6161, and Frankfurt's Xetra DAX dropped 1.4% to 6624. The Cac 40 in Paris lost 1.2% to 5433, and the Swiss Market Index was off 0.8% at 8829.

Milan's MIB 30 gave up more than 1% to 40,290, and the Irish Overall Index was weaker by 1% at 9442.

Elsewhere, Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index sank 1.7% to 12,839, and Mexico's Bolsa fell 2% to 26,709. Brazil's Bovespa and Argentina's Merval tanked roughly 3%.