Taiwan's stock market opened sharply lower, a bad start for investors as rising oil prices weighed on Asian markets.

• The main Taiwan index broke below the 46,000 level, dropping more than 600 points in early trade.
• TSMC, the market's biggest stock, opened lower and added to the slide.
• Oil prices jumped, pushing most Asian markets down.
• US stocks had snapped a four-day losing streak on Friday, but that bounce did not carry into Asia.

Outlook: Asian markets are likely to stay under pressure while oil prices keep climbing.