Nikkei enters bear market to extend global rout; yen, bonds rally

The Japanese benchmark fell 5% on Tuesday, widening its drop to 21% from its October 2 peak

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average slid into a bear market, as a global equity rout continued unabated in the last week of the year, with renewed turmoil in Washington rattling investors. The yen and Japanese bonds rallied.
 
The Japanese benchmark fell 5 per cent on Tuesday, widening its drop to 21 percent from its October 2 peak, as it took its cue from the S&P 500’s worst trading session before the Christmas holiday. Chinese shares, the other major Asian market open on Tuesday, also declined as investors shrugged off a pledge by the government to do more to support