Global share markets see record falls
02-01-2009
Global share markets saw record falls last year as the financial turmoil and economic slowdown ended the stock market boom. Shanghai was one of the worst-hit major markets, ending the year 65 percent lower. Britain's 100-share index also had its worst year on record, down over 31 percent, with similar falls in Paris and Frankfurt. Tokyo's Nikkei dropped 42 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 48 percent.In New York, the Dow Jones was up one and a quarter percent on New Year's eve to 8,776-although that was 34 per cent lower than where it started 2008 - making it the worst years since 1931.
