Asian stock markets fell today as jittery investors awaited a deadline for Greece to get sufficient support from its private creditors for a debt reduction deal or face default.

Profits at China’s top state-owned companies fell 30% last year, hurt by the global financial crisis, but assets have increased.

Reassuring news on the UK property market from Taylor Wimpey gave a boost to housebuilder stocks today as the wider London market swept into positive territory.

Investor uncertainty pushed stocks lower on Wall Street today in volatile trading, with networker Cisco Systems’ tentative spending outlook hitting technology shares hard.