Stocks are opening sharply lower, extending a weeklong rout and bringing the Dow Jones Industrial Average 10% below the record high it hit two weeks ago.
Microsoft became the latest large company to warn investors about the virus' potential hit to its finances. Meanwhile nations are taking increasingly drastic measures to try and contain the outbreak and the fears over the potential spread in the U.S. are rising.
Bond yields continued sliding in a further sign that investors were shifting money into lower-risk assets. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell further into record low territory, to 1.25% from 1.31% late Wednesday. Gold prices edged higher.
