Japan’s Nikkei 225 index plunges 12.4% as world markets tremble over risks to the US economy

Global markets tumble as Nikkei plunges 12.4% amid fears of U.S. recession and Fed rate cuts.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index plunged 12.4% on Monday in the latest bout of sell-offs that are shaking world markets as investors fret over the state of the U.S. economy.

The Nikkei closed down 4,451.28 points at 31,458.42. The market's broader TOPIX index fell 12.8% as selling picked up in the afternoon.

A report showing hiring by U.S. employers slowed last month by much more than expected has convulsed financial markets, vanquishing the euphoria that had taken the Nikkei to all-times highs of over 42,000 in recent weeks.

The Nikkei 225 dropped 5.8% on Friday, making this its worst two-day decline ever. Its worst single-day rout was a plunge of 3,836 points, or 14.9%, on a day dubbed “Black Monday” in October 1987. At one point, the benchmark sank as much as 13.4% on Monday.

Share prices have fallen in Tokyo since the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday. The Nikkei is now down 3.8% from a year ago.

One factor driving the BOJ to raise rates was prolonged weakness in the Japanese yen, which has pushed inflation to above the central bank's 2% inflation target. Early Monday, the dollar was trading at 142.39 yen, down from 146.45 late Friday and sharply below its level of over 160 yen a few weeks ago.

The euro fell to $1.0896 from $1.0923.