ASIA - A spike in new virus cases outside China spooked Asian markets Friday after Wall Street pulled back from record highs as more companies warned earnings could be hurt by the epidemic.
More than 2,200 people have died from the novel coronavirus, which has infected over 75,000 people, mostly in China, and spread panic around the world.
While Beijing claims its epidemic control efforts are working, the rising death toll and number of new infections abroad have rattled investors.
A batch of warnings from companies over the impact of the virus on bottom lines -- including Danish ship operator Maersk and Air France-KLM -- and weaker manufacturing data in Japan also fanned anxiety.
Initial hopes that the virus would have only a short-term impact on earnings and economic growth have given way to the reluctant realisation that it could linger. (AFP)