SYDNEY - Asian stocks resumed declines and US equity futures edged lower on Thursday amid ongoing efforts to control the widening coronavirus outbreak. The yen strengthened and Treasuries ticked up.
Japan's Topix index retreated 0.5 per cent while South Korea's Kospi index declined 0.5 per cent and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index dipped 0.4 per cent.In a volatile session, the S&P 500 Index ended flat on Wednesday as gains in technology shares and positive earnings reports offset concern about the virus.
"Markets have gotten a little bit ahead of themselves and they have probably gotten a little bit complacent," Burns McKinney, portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors, told Bloomberg TV in New York."We have seen policy makers this time move quickly and take it very seriously."