本周一，美国政府宣布汽车行业重整计划，敦促通用和克莱斯勒在规定期限内重组，否则不排除令其破产的可能。受此影响，道琼斯指数直降3.71％，纳斯达克跌3.37％；伦敦股市跌3.49％后收盘，巴黎和法兰克福各跌4.27%和5.1％。亚太地区股市也纷纷大幅下挫，日本股市下挫4.53%，创逾两个月来最大单日跌幅；韩国股市重挫3.24%；澳大利亚股市跌1.85%。专家指出，全球市场大乱，使得本周四将举行高峰会的G20元首压力更沉重，投资者也因此更加担心此高峰会难有促进经济复苏实质结果。

Global stock markets dived on Monday as fresh woes¹ for the global auto² sector³ and extremely weak economic data triggered a rush to dump shares and cash in on a recent rally, traders said.

After the White House unveiled plans for an auto industry shake-up and kicked out General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner, the Dow Jones index plunged⁴ 3.71 percent and the Nasdaq fell 3.37 percent in afternoon trading.

In Europe, London closed down 3.49 percent, Paris dropped 4.27 percent and Frankfurt plunged 5.10 percent. Leading the fall on several markets were car companies also hit by a global slump⁵ in demand, like their US counterparts.

Tokyo fell 4.53 percent as bad industrial and auto production data fed the gloomy economic outlook and traders rushed to lock in profits from last week.

Referring to the drop on the London stock exchange, David Evans, a market analyst⁶ at online betting company Betonmarkets.com, said: "Most of last week's dominant⁷ trends have slipped into reverse gear."

Tim Hughes, head of sales trading at financial spread better IG Index, said the problems of US auto giants General Motors and Chrysler were "once again focusing investors⁸' minds on just how bad things have got for the economy."

US President Barack Obama said General Motors and Chrysler should consider bankruptcy⁹ proceedings¹⁰ as a way out of the crisis after a White House task force report said their recovery plans to get more state aid were "not viable¹¹."

On Sunday, the supervisory board of PSA Peugeot Citroen said it had removed chief executive Christian¹² Streiff as France's biggest carmaker struggles with the effects of the international economic crisis.

"One thing is for sure ... no-one should expect quick fixes to the current economic malaise," said analyst Dermot O'Leary at Goodbody Stockbrokers¹³.

Ahead for investors this week are the Group of 20 summit of world leaders on the financial crisis and the European Central Bank's latest interest rate decision, both due Thursday, while Friday sees the release of key US jobs data.

"As the week progresses, the hope that we'll see headway from the G20, rather than simply rhetoric¹⁴, could offer some support," said Matt Buckland, a dealer¹⁵ at London-based online trading company CMC Markets.

President Obama has rejected suggestions of a split with the European Union on how to tackle the global financial crisis when leaders of the Group of 20 developed and emerging economies meet in London.

Elsewhere in Europe on Monday, Swiss shares closed down 2.60 percent, the Netherlands lost 4.79 percent, Italy's Mib index dived 6.09 percent and Spain's Ibex-35 lost 4.12 percent.

Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong share prices closed 4.70 percent lower, Seoul slumped¹⁶ 3.24 percent, Taipei dived 3.43 percent and Sydney fell 1.85 percent.

"Today's fall was widely expected," Taiwan International Securities analyst Arch Shih said of the 3.43-percent slide on Taipei's stock exchange. "The market had scored substantial gains recently. It was time for a correction."