SECURITIES

New Zealand Stocks Dive: The Wellington market’s key index tumbled 138.4 points, or 6.3%, to 2,046.8 in the wake of the stinging defeat suffered by the ruling National Party in elections Saturday. The rebuke of the Nationalists, which left the country’s Parliament without a clear majority, was viewed as a measure of the public’s rising discontent with austerity economic policies. Meanwhile, other Asian markets were mixed at midday, after early selloffs tied to steep declines in European markets on Friday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 39.96 points to 9,036.89 after falling 100 points in early trading. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225-share average was up 21.60 points to 18,612.06. Singapore’s Straits Times index was up 3.07 points to 2,071.79.