London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/16/2011 -- Spread betting and CFD trading provider City Index (http://www.cityindex.co.uk/) reports the financial activity shaping the markets on 16th May 2011. Headlines include the Nikkei tumbling today as banking stocks continue to weigh down the Japanese index.

The Nikkei 225 has tumbled by 0.94 per cent today (May 16th) as banking stocks continue to weigh down the Japanese index.

According to Reuters, the stock index hit a one-month low after it ended trading on 9,558.30 points.

Banks' share prices took another hit following the suggestion of the Japanese government that loans provided by financial institutions to the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) may not need to be repaid.

Tepco was in the spotlight following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami after it struggled to cool down overheated reactors at its Fukushima nuclear plant.

Further trouble came when radioactive material started to leak. Today, Tepco's share price retreated by 7.28 per cent.

The news resource also highlighted investors' concerns about the ability for the global economy to grow, lowering any appetite for risk.

"Volatile commodities" were also pointed to for the one-month low of the Nikkei 225.

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