Finance fears keep Asia firms in hold pattern

Sydney

SENTIMENT at some of Asia's biggest firms has deteriorated as a slowing Chinese economy, the Greek sovereign debt crisis and looming US interest rate hike create deepening concern about the state of the world economy, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.

The Thomson Reuters/INSEAD Asian Business Sentiment Index fell to 70 for the June quarter, from 71 in March and 74 in the same period last year. A reading over 50 indicates an overall positive view.