World stocks sink as investors eye earnings

HONG KONG — Asian and European stock markets sank Monday, undermined by investor anxiety that company earnings will reflect a weaker global economy than originally hoped.

Volumes were thin across Asia without a cue from U.S. markets, which were closed Friday for Independence Day. Resource producers like Japan’s Inpex and Australia’s BHP Billiton fell as crude oil prices plunged toward $64 a barrel.

Markets have slackened in recent weeks as concerns grew the huge run-up between March and June was premature given the troubles in the global economy. Last week’s gloomy jobless numbers in the U.S. and Europe only added to worries that a strong recovery from recession may still be out of reach.

Uncertainty about company profits in the second quarter and forecasts for the rest of the year, to be released in the coming weeks, also have many investors on edge. U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. opens earnings season on Wednesday.

“There’s a lack of direction and the momentum is very weak,” said Peter Lai, investment manager at DBS Vickers in Hong Kong. “Markets are already waiting for catalysts to take profits, and because people are nervous about earnings I’m expecting a correction.”

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average fell 135.20, or 1.4 percent, to 9,680.87 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 226.23, or 1.2 percent, to 17,977.17 in a choppy session.

In India, the Sensex was down 5.2 percent. Investors there were disappointed after the government didn’t announce any major liberalization measure in its new budget.

Elsewhere, Australia’s index lost 1.2 percent and Singapore’s market closed off 1.2 percent.

Defying the region’s losses, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6 percent after Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s biggest manufacturer of memory chips, announced quarterly profit estimates for the first time. The company estimated operating profit would come it at between 2.2 trillion won and 2.6 trillion won, compared with 2.4 trillion won last year.

In mainland China, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed up 1.2 percent at 3,124.67, a 13-month high.

Thailand’s stock market is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Europe followed Asia lower, with benchmarks in Britain, Germany and France falling between 1 percent and 2 percent.

Wall Street futures pointed to a weaker open Monday. Dow futures were down 76, or 0.9 percent, at 8,165 and S&P futures fell 8.9, or 1 percent, to 884.40.

Oil prices tumbled in Asia, with benchmark crude for August delivery down $2.71 to $64.02 a barrel. It last settled on Thursday at $66.73.

The dollar slipped to 95.20 yen from 96.03 yen. The euro was lower at $1.3920 from $1.3955.