Japanese and South Korean stock markets fell sharply in morning trade on Friday, Nikkei Asia reported. The Nikkei Stock Average fell 6.7%, falling below 60,000 for the first time since mid-May. In South Korea, the KOSPI indicator lost up to 8.7%, which is why the stock exchange temporarily suspended trading. The price collapse came amid a sell-off in US IT stocks, fueled by investor concerns over possible delays in building data centers after the Democratic Party's victory in the midterm elections.