The MSCI Asia Pacific Index lost 2.1 per cent to 147.39 as of 7:32 pm in Tokyo, its biggest retreat since April 14 and extending a four-day, 2.5 per cent decrease. Almost eight stocks declined for each that advanced.
All Asian benchmark indexes fell on Monday. Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average retreated 2.3 per cent to 13,690.19, and China's CSI 300 Index dropped 3.2 per cent.
Thailand's SET Index sank 2.2 per cent even after a report showed on Monday that economic growth accelerated in the first quarter. Vietnam's VN Index declined for a 16th-straight day. Pakistan's main index fell for a third day.
Europe
Stocks fell in Europe and Asia, led by banks and carmakers, on concern more writedowns and rising raw-material costs will curb economic and profit growth. The MSCI World Index lost 0.4 per cent to 1,511.27 at 12:01 pm in London as all 10 industry groups decreased. Trading may be slower than usual on Monday as markets in the UK and the US are closed for public holidays. European stocks had their biggest weekly decline in more than two months last week, while US shares lost the most in almost four months.
US
US stocks had the biggest weekly drop in almost four months on Friday The S&P 500 fell 3.5 per cent, the steepest decline since the first week of February, to 1,375.93.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.9 per cent to 12,479.63. The Nasdaq Composite Index slid 3.3 per cent to 2,444.67. The Russell 2000 Index of small-cap stocks lost 2.3 per cent to 724.10.