Broad declines across Asian markets

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng fell 1.2 percent, while the stock exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen lost 1.0 and 1.6 percent respectively.

The situation is worse in Seoul. The KOSPI has seen alternating declines and gains recently - and on Thursday it was the same. By lunchtime, the index was down 3.5 percent.

In Tokyo, moves are somewhat calmer. The Nikkei 225 is down 0.7 percent and the broader Topix index is down 0.1 percent.