Nearly 500 people were in quarantine in China’s capital Beijing and a southern province today as authorities raced to contain a small eruption of SARS before a national holiday puts millions of travellers on the road.

US unemployment rose to its highest level for two and a half years in April, prompting fears the country is plunging into recession.

Technology shares started Friday with the traditional end-of-the-week torpor exacerbated by the prospect of a three-day weekend, with the main direction coming from last night's slide on the NASDAQ, dealers said.