World Markets Slide Again Amid Financial Fears (Pan Pylas)

  World markets slide again amid financial fears following AIG's massive loss, HSBC dividend cut

  LONDON (AP) -- World stock markets fell further Tuesday as investors continued to fret about the global financial sector after American International Group Inc. reported the biggest quarterly loss in corporate history, and HSBC Holdings PLC slashed its dividend and revealed it needed to raise nearly $18 billion from shareholders.

  The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares fell below the 3,600 mark for the first time since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. By mid-morning London time, it was down 44.17 points, or 1.2 percent, at 3,581.66.

  Germany's DAX fell 25.06 points, or 0.7 percent, at 3,685.01 while the CAC-40 in France was down 8.31 points, or 0.3 percent, at 2,573.15.

  Earlier, Japan's Nikkei flirted with 26-year lows, ending 50.43 points, or 0.7 percent, at 7,229.72, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index close 283.58 points, or 2.3 percent, lower 12,033.88.

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