Markets Catch 'Asian Flu'

Stocks plummeted around the world, led by a chill in Asian markets, which precipitated lower opening numbers on Wall Street on Monday. Shares fell by 2 percent in New York following the opening bell, after Shanghai and Tokyo posted their lowest one-day drops in months. American markets closed slightly down on Friday afternoon, which caused pessimism for Asian investors who worried that the weaknesses would take a toll on export-dependent countries like Japan and China. But now it’s reverberated back to Wall Street again. Said one analyst: “It’s almost an Asian flu that the markets caught today.”