TOKYO – Asian stock markets fell on Monday as investors sought less risky investments amid concerns over anti-government riots in Egypt.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average dropped 126.60 points, or 1.2 percent, to 10,233.74 in the morning session.
Selling spread across the board in Tokyo with Toyota Motor Corp. falling 1.9 percent to 3,325 yen ($40). Honda Motor Co. declined 1.1 percent to 3,485 yen. Sony Corp. dropped 2.8 percent to 2,827 yen.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.9 percent at 4,828.70. South Korea's Kospi fell 1.3 percent to 2,079.58.
On Wall Street on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 166.13 points, or 1.4 percent, to close at 11,823.70 as violent protests in Egypt promoted investors to sell risky assets like stocks for safer investments such as Treasurys and gold.
The demonstrators from all segments of Egyptian society have taken to the streets for nearly a week calling for the departure of President Hosni Mubarak.
Jittery investors dumped Middle Eastern stocks Sunday, with the benchmark index for the Dubai Financial Market tumbling 4.3 percent to close at 1,543.02.
Elsewhere, China's Shanghai Composite index edged down 0.1 percent to 2,750.14. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 1.3 percent at 23,306.95. Shares in New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore were all lower.
Taiwan's stock market was closed Monday due to China's Lunar New Year holiday. It will reopen on Feb. 8.
In currencies, the dollar climbed to 82.14 yen in Tokyo on Monday from 81.99 yen in New York late Friday. The euro slipped to $1.3587 from $1.3598.
Benchmark crude for March delivery was up 46 cents at $89.80 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $3.70, or 4.3 percent, to settle at $89.34 a barrel Friday.
