Stock markets in Asia down sharply

For the second day in a row, Asian stock markets are in a difficult position. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 had fallen by about 1.2 percent by lunchtime, while the broader Topix had fallen by 1.4 percent.

In South Korea, the Kospi is down by around 1.8 percent. Among individual companies, Boliden competitor Korea Zinc is down by a whopping 11.6 percent.

Stock market sentiment is not much better in China. Shenzhen falls by 1.9 percent while the Shanghai Composite Index declines by 1.2 percent. Hong Kong-based Hang Seng is down by just over 1.9 percent.