LONDON (AP) - Stocks and the euro fell Monday amid mounting political turmoil in Ireland following the government's request for a massive bailout package and worries that Europe's debt crisis could spread to other countries, most notably Portugal and Spain.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed down 52 points, or 0.9 percent, at 5,680.83, while France's CAC-40 fell 41.27 points, or 1.1 percent, to 3,818.89. Germany's DAX ended 21.5 points, or 0.3 percent, lower at 6,822.05.

In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 75.07 points, or 0.7 percent, at 11,128.48 around midday New York time while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 6.79 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,192.94.

And in the currency markets, the euro was trading 0.8 percent lower on the day at $1.36.

Stocks and the euro had been in far better shape earlier yesterday - Asian markets closed mostly higher and the euro had traded as high as $1.3786 - as investors breathed a sigh of relief that some sort of aid package for Ireland was finally being cobbled together. The Irish government confirmed Sunday it was formally requesting financial aid to shore up its debt-laden banking sector.

Even if there are no more bailouts, the scale of austerity being pursued in a number of eurozone countries will highlight the divisions in the single currency bloc. While Ireland and Greece, and possibly others, face years of retrenchment, the eurozone's No.1 economy - Germany - will likely continue to prosper due to its exporting prowess.

Earlier in Asia, investors had been cheered by Sunday's aid request from Dublin.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average closed 0.9 percent higher, or 92.8 points, at 10,115.19 while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.2 percent to 1,944.34. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.3 percent to 4,643.5.

But Hong Kong bucked the trend, with the Hang Seng index falling 0.4 percent to 23,524.02 amid losses in property stocks after new measures to stem speculation. Singapore's benchmark also fell.

Chinese shares closed mixed in weak trading, as investors awaited further policy moves from the government after inflation last month hit a 25-month high.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.2 percent to 2,884.37. The Shenzhen Composite Index for China's smaller, second exchange climbed 1.2 percent to 1,313.57.

In the oil markets, benchmark crude for January delivery was down 57 cents to $81.41 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.