Asian stock markets slid Monday after a survey showed that Chinese manufacturing shrank in April for the fourth month in a row, AP reported. The results of the HSBC purchasing managers' index on Chinese factory activity were lower than than a preliminary reading, stoking fears among investors that the slowdown in the world's second biggest economy is entrenched. Markets in Japan and South Korea were closed. British markets would also be closed for a public holiday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.5 percent to 21,917.39 and the Shanghai Composite in mainland China lost 0.7 percent to 2,011.54. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.2 percent to 5,449.50. Benchmarks in Taiwan, Singapore and New Zealand also fell. In currencies, the dollar fell to 101.91 Japanese yen from 102.20 in late trading Friday. The euro rose to $1.3878 from $1.3871. In energy markets, benchmark U.S. oil for June delivery edged up 2 cents to $99.78 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 34 cents to settle at $99.76 on Friday.
