News of a North Korean nuclear test has sent jitters through Asian markets today.
The Hang Seng ended the morning down 220.03 points at 17,683.36. The Tokyo market is closed for a public holiday.
New York's main oil contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, was up 64 cents to $60.40 a barrel from $59.76 in late US trades Friday.
Early broker notes:
SEVERN TRENT CUT TO 'NEUTRAL' VS 'BUY' AT MERRILL LYNCH
SMITHS GROUP CUTS TO 'NEUTRAL' VS 'BUY' AT MERRILL LYNCH
ICI INITIATED 'NEUTRAL' AT JP MORGAN, PRICE TARGET 395P
JOHNSON MATTHEY INITIATED 'OVERWEIGHT' AT JP MORGAN
GEORGE WIMPEY DOWNGRADED TO 'UNDERWEIGHT' FROM 'OVERWEIGHT' BY MORGAN STANLEY
ITV CUT TO 'NEUTRAL' VS 'BUY' AT UBS