HONG KONG: Most Asian stock markets retreated Monday, with Tokyo's benchmark sliding more than 2 percent as the dollar remained weak against the yen.

Japan's strengthening currency weighed on major exporters like Toyota Motor Corp. and Canon Inc. amid concerns it would erode the value of their overseas profits. Oil prices fell to near $68 a barrel, while U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street.

Analysts said the markets seem to be in a short-term holding pattern as investors await more clues about the global economy. Among their chief concerns are Western consumers who've scaled back their spending in the face of growing unemployment, sinking home values and high personal debt.

"The markets are jittery today," said Francis Lun, general manager of Fulbright Securities Ltd. in Hong Kong. "There's still concern we're ahead of the fundamentals. The exports market hasn't completely recovered and the consumer is still not spending, so there's a lot of worry out there."

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average took the day's biggest hit, falling 227.86 points, or 2.2 percent, to 10,216.47.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was off 0.9 percent at 20,962.46 while Korea's Kospi shed 1 percent to 1,634.01.

Elsewhere, Australia's key index lost 1.4 percent, India's Sensex was down 0.5 percent and Taiwan's benchmark fell 1.1 percent.

Shanghai's market defied the downswing, adding 0.5 percent to 3,005.56.

In New York Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 22.07, or 0.2 percent, to 9,605.41 as investors pulled out of the market following a five-day rally left the market at its highest levels in nearly a year.

The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 1.41, or 0.1 percent, to 1,042.73, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 3.12, or 0.2 percent, to 2,080.90.

Dow futures were down 74, or 0.8 percent, at 9,518 and S&P futures slipped 0.1 point to 1,041.60.

Oil prices dropped in Asia, with benchmark crude for October delivery down $1.07 at $68.22 a barrel. On Friday, the contract tumbled $2.65 to settle at $69.29.

The dollar, which has tanked in recent days, was little changed at 90.51 yen compared to 90.42 yen. The euro fell to $1.4530 from $1.4597.