The Australian S&PASX 200 index is the first major Asian index to end in the red today, losing 94.4 pts or 2.82% at 3,250.1. A possible capital raising by HSBC weighed on the markets with Maquarie Bank ending the day down 7.24% at 15.75.
Insurers also bore the brunt of the selling with QBE -11%, SUN -10.45% and IAG -4.1%.
