Markets end six-day run ahead of US jobs report

Stocks ended six consecutive days of gains in the US as investors took profits ahead of a key jobs report out later today.

Both the Dow and S&P 500 ended the session over 1% lower, while shares in Asia also lost ground, ahead of a report out of the US which could show unemployment has jumped above 9%. Ending a six-day run higher, the Dow shed 120 points, falling to 11,494, while the S&P 500 lost 14.5 points 1,204. Meanwhile in Asia, the Nikkei lost over 1%, dropping 110 points to 8,950, while the Chinese Hang Seng index gave up 1.2% or 255 points, sliding to 20,329. The FTSE 100 also dived in early trading this morning, giving up 0.9%, or 46.5 points, to 5,372.