South Korean and Japanese equities extended a steep decline in early trading, with the KOSPI index dropping 2%. Nikkei futures fell 1.5% to trade at 62,500 against a cash close of 62,907, hitting a new monthly low for the benchmark. The momentum follows a wider selloff on Thursday that saw six major Asian markets lose nearly $1 trillion in combined value and drove regional indices to a 3 month low.
Investors are currently weighing technology sector earnings and escalating tensions in the Gulf region. Since peaking in June, the Nikkei has fallen 14%, a slide that has erased ¥147 trillion in market capitalization despite a recovery on Tuesday that added $150 billion to Japanese stocks.
