Spreading trade war, Dow dive spark Asia markets sell-off

Singapore

THE overnight bloodbath on Wall Street triggered sell-offs in Asian equities on Thursday, unsettling markets already mired in poor global data, a spreading trade war, Brexit jitters and Washington's impeachment saga.

Oil prices also tanked after an unexpected rise in US official crude inventories, adding to the string of worrying economic news and heightened recessionary fears.

"The trade winds of the dispute between the US and China have blown chill across the world for much of 2019. Those same winds appear to be upgrading to cyclone force now as they approach the United States," remarked Oanda's senior analyst for Asia Pacific, Jeffrey Halley.

A new battle shaped up on the trade front after the US said it will impose tariffs on the European Union goods from Oct …