BANGKOK – World share prices skidded Tuesday after the price of U.S. crude oil plunged below zero, with demand collapsing as the pandemic leaves factories, automobiles and airplanes idled.
Germany's DAX lost 2.2% to 10,443.42 in early trading and the CAC 40 in France shed 2.4% to 4,420.53. Britain's FTSE 100 declined 1.5% to 5,724.68.
Wall Street looked set for losses, with the future contract for the S&P 500 down 0.6%, while the contract for the Dow industrials lost 1%.
While share prices have gradually stabilized after wild swings earlier this year, uncertainty over growing numbers of coronavirus cases in Japan and in some Southeast Asian countries has left investors wary.