Tokyo: Stocks open more than 2% down on coronavirus fears

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks opened more than two per cent lower on Thursday following sharp falls on Wall Street as fears intensify about the new coronavirus after the World Health Organization called the outbreak a pandemic.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.24 per cent or 435.84 points to 18,980.22 in early trade, while the broader Topix index fell 2.42 per cent or 33.51 points to 1,351.61.

AFP