Mainland and Hong Kong stocks plunged on Monday after Iran threatened to attack Israeli power plants and facilities supplying American bases in the Gulf if US President Donald Trump carries out his threat to "obliterate" Iran's ⁠power network.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index plunged 894 points, or 3.54 percent, to 24,382.

The China enterprises index was down 266 points, or 3.11 percent, at 8,307 while the tech index was 159 points, or 3.28 percent, down at 4,712.

On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended down 143 points, or 3.63 percent, at 3,813.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 520 points, or 3.76 percent, lower at 13,345 while the ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 116 points, or 3.49 percent, to 3,235.

The combined turnover of the main indexes in Shanghai and Shenzhen was nearly 2.43 trillion yuan, up from 2.29 trillion yuan on Friday.

Shares related to the green power and coal sectors led gains while precious metals and tourism stocks suffered steep losses.

Japan's stocks and bonds sank to multi-month lows, with the ⁠Nikkei slumping up to five percent earlier in the day, wiping out the gains it made this year.

The benchmark ended 1,857 points, or 3.48 percent, lower at 51,515 while the broader Topix was down almost 123 points, or 3.41 percent, at 3,486, making for the lowest close for both indexes since January 8.

In Seoul, the benchmark Kospi closed down 375 points, or 6.49 percent, at 5,405, marking its lowest level since March 9 and the biggest daily percentage loss since March 4. (Reuters/Xinhua)


Edited by Tony Sabine