Stock Market Slide Continues

Stock markets have continued the slide they began last week, led by more big falls in bank shares.

Leading European stock markets were down by more than 4 percent in trading on September 5, with the banking sector shedding nearly 6 percent to a 29-month low.

Asian markets also fell, with the Nikkei in Tokyo ending the day nearly 2 percent down. Wall Street was closed for a holiday.

The current slide in markets, which began September 1, has been triggered by renewed concern about weak growth in the global economy and the eurozone debt crisis.

compiled from agency reports