Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index headed for its first monthly decline since April, led by materials and consumer shares. Friday’s slump followed flaring Ukraine tensions which spoiled investor risk appetite and bolstered the safe-haven yen.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down about 0.2 percent, pulling away from Thursday's high of 515.13, its highest since early 2008. It was on track for a weekly drop but still poised for gain of around 0.3 percent in August.
Japan's Nikkei stock average (.N225) shed 0.6 percent after a spate of weak Japan data. It was also down for the week, bringing its monthly loss to about 1.6 percent.
Chinese Stocks Dip
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. dropped 5 percent in Hong Kong after China’s biggest producer of the light metal said its first-half loss widened amid lower prices. CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. tumbled 7.7 percent, the largest decline on the regional gauge, after a shareholder said it would sell an 11 percent stake in the Hong Kong-based company. National Australia Bank Ltd., the nation’s largest lender by assets, gained 1.3 percent after saying it plans to sell its U.S. unit to free up capital and focus on its domestic business.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) was little changed and Hang Seng China Enterprises Index slipped 0.2 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index added 0.1 percent and South Korea’s Kospi index lost 0.3 percent. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index, Taiwan’s Index and Singapore’s Straits Times Index all fell 0.2 percent.