- Dozens missing, 9 dead in migrant boat wreck off Spanish Canaries
- Death toll from Hurricane John hits eight in Mexico
- Storm Helene's toll rises as rescue and cleanup efforts gain pace
- SpaceX launches mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding as cleanup begins
- SpaceX set to launch mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Boeing strike grinds on as latest talks fail to reach agreement
- Iran 'news' sites, hackers target Trump ahead of US election
- US ports brace for potential dockworkers strike
- Japan's speedy, spotless Shinkansen bullet trains turn 60
- US hurricane deaths rise to 44, fears of more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Global stocks mostly rise, cheering Beijing stimulus
- Europe en route for Moon with new simulator, says astronaut Pesquet
- Fireworks forecast if comet survives risky Sun flypast
- Argentina judge orders dictionary to delete pejorative definition of 'Jewish'
- Global stocks rise on rate hopes, Beijing stimulus
- S.African woman turns 118, among the oldest in the world
- UK clears $4 bn AI partnership between Amazon, Anthropic
- Barca fans barred from Champions League away game over racist banner
- Chinese stocks extend surge, Europe higher on Beijing stimulus
- Pope says Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse
- China caps week of 'bazooka' stimulus for ailing economy with rate cut
- Cuts, cash, credit: China bids to jumpstart flagging economy
- France's debt weighs heavier ahead of budget debate
- Iran treads carefully, backing Hezbollah while avoiding war
- Return to sender: waste stranded at sea stirs toxic dispute
- 'Broken' news industry faces uncertain future
- On remote Greek island, migratory birds offer climate clues
- Taken from mother by nuns, victim seeks answers as pope visits Belgium
- China cuts amount banks hold in reserve to boost lending
- Hong Kong, Shanghai extend surge as China optimism boosts markets
- Vietnam president reiterates support for Cuba during official visit
- Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
- Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate's grim choice
- Florida bracing for 'unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene
- Poverty rises to over 52 percent in Milei's Argentina
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala Harris
- Champagne houses abuzz over English sparkling wine
- Macron, Trudeau pledge to work for 'decarbonized' economies
- Hurricanes, storms, typhoons... Is September wetter than usual?
- China stimulus, tech optimism boost stock markets
- 'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene races towards Florida
- Macron meets Trudeau in Canada as both face political setbacks
- South Korea surges in UN innovation index
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala
- Floods threaten Niger's historic 'gateway to the desert'
- China economy hopes boost global equities
- Ubisoft shares sink after 'Assassin's Creed' delay
- German economy to shrink again in 2024: think tanks
Asian markets track losses on Wall St on Ukraine conflict fears
Asian markets fell and oil prices rallied Monday after the United States warned Russia could attack Ukraine within days as diplomatic efforts to prevent a war appeared to fail, while fears over inflation were also keeping traders on edge.
The losses matched a sell-off in New York and Europe on Friday as Western powers prepare for a conflict in eastern Europe after Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed calls by US counterpart Joe Biden and others to pull back.
Governments have told their citizens to leave Ukraine and US national security advisor Jake Sullivan warned last week that an invasion could begin "any day now" and would likely start with "a significant barrage of missiles and bomb attacks".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was preparing to visit Kyiv and Moscow to try to head off the crisis that officials said had reached a "critical" point.
The prospect of a conflict compounded to the gloomy mood on trading floors after data Thursday showed US inflation hit a forecast-busting 7.5 percent in January, ramping up pressure on the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates more than expected.
After sharp losses on Friday on Wall Street, the losses continued in Asia.
Tokyo and Seoul each shed more than two percent, while Hong Kong, Wellington and Taipei were more than one percent down. Shanghai and Singapore were also off, though Sydney and Manila edged up.
And Eli Lee, at Bank of Singapore, said the volatility that has characterised markets so far this year would likely continue.
"In the scenario of military action, we could see a spike in oil and gas prices, which would exacerbate the issue of inflation over the near term, and result in a market-wide risk-off move," he wrote in a note.
"This would inject volatility into risk assets and cause a bid for safe havens such as the Japanese yen, the US dollar and gold."
Meanwhile, oil prices jumped more than one percent, closing in on the $100 a barrel mark last seen in 2014, as investors grow increasingly worried about supplies in the event of a war -- and adding to global inflationary pressures.
The crisis comes as crude was already tight owing to a pick-up in demand as economies reopen and people return to a more normal life.
- Key figures around 0230 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.6 percent at 26,970.34 (break)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.5 percent at 24,530.06
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,449.99
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.5 percent at $94.50 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.2 percent at $95.58 per barrel
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 115.38 yen from 115.48 yen late Friday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1350 from $1.1351
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3550 from $1.3564
Euro/pound: UP at 83.77 pence from 83.64 pence
New York - Dow: DOWN 1.4 percent at 34,738.06 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,661.02 (close)
J.Bondarev--CPN