Akhir 10, 1432, March 15, 2011, SPA -- U.S. stocks finished lower on Monday, after Japan's leading stock index plunged in reaction to last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami. In world markets, Tokyo's Nikkei index plunged Monday, falling 6.2 percent and making it the biggest one-drop since late 2008 for the index. However, other major Asian markets ended higher, while European markets ended lower. Japanese officials said Monday that they will support the country's financial system with a cash injection of more than $60 billion to help it against the economic impact of the earthquake and tsunami. In U.S. company news, U.S.-traded shares of some companies based in Japan were down sharply. Shares of Canon were down 4 percent, Toyota was down 5 percent, and Sony was down 7 percent. U.S. insurance companies, including Hartford Financial Services Group and Aflac-which generates about 75 percent of its revenue in Japan-also tumbled. Shares of both insurers fell about 3 percent. Meanwhile, U.S. billionaire Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated said it is buying chemicals group Lubrizol for $9.7 billion to supply the rising demand for chemicals used to operate engines and machinery. Shares of Berkshire fell more than 1 percent, while Lubrizol's stock jumped nearly 28 percent. --MORE
