Asian stock markets have fallen sharply with investors worrying over the growing financial turmoil in Europe.
Key shares indexes lost 3% or more - with European markets also forecast to see heavy losses.
Japan's Nikkei index fell 4.2% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 3.4%. Markets in mainland China, Australia, South and India also fell sharply.
The falls came in the first trading session since the US approved a $700bn bank bail-out.
Analysts said that Germany's increased bail-out of Hypo Real Estate, the country's second-biggest commercial property lender, had alarmed investors.
The bail-out came as other European governments made moves to to save failing banks.
French giant BNP Paribas confirmed on Sunday night it had agreed to buy a majority stake in financial group Fortis's operations in Belgium and Luxembourg.
The governments of Belgium and Luxembourg will in return take a minority stake in BNP Paribas. The Dutch arm of Fortis has been nationalised by the Netherlands government.
And the Icelandic government agreed measures for the country's banks to sell off some foreign assets in a bid to shore up its entire financial system.
(BBC)
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