Asian stocks were set to join a global sell-off on Thursday as worries about surging coronavirus cases in Europe and the United States sent investors scrambling for safe-haven assets, Trend reports citing Reuters.
Australia's ASX 200 .AXJO fell 1.73% in early trade, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures .HSI.HSIc1 were off 0.8%.
Japan's Nikkei 225 futures NKc1 were up 0.24% but down 1.23% from the underlying index's .N225 close on Wednesday.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS was down 2.89%.
Surging coronavirus cases in the United States and Europe were a growing concern as French and German leaders announced new lockdown measures to combat rising infections. Worsening matters for investor enthusiasm were dwindling hopes for any imminent U.S. economic relief package with a presidential election less than a week away.