Feb. 28 -- Asian stocks fell for the first time this week, led by automakers and electronics manufacturers, after the yen strengthened against the dollar and on speculation new U.S. interest rate cuts won't prevent global growth from slowing.
Toyota Motor Corp. led losses in Tokyo as the yen climbed to a three-week high against the dollar, eroding the value of overseas sales. Japan's Fanuc Ltd. dropped after the nation's factory production fell at twice the pace economists predicted. Westfield Group, the world's largest shopping mall owner by market value, retreated in Sydney after U.S. reports showed weaker new home sales and durable-goods orders.
``The bigger-than-expected decline in industrial production makes the outlook even more uncertain for Japanese companies,'' said Naoki Fujiwara, chief fund manager at Tokyo-based Shinkin Asset Management Co., which manages about $5.1 billion. ``Automakers can't avoid an economic slowdown in North America, and the stronger yen may further reduce their earnings.''
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index declined 0.9 percent to 148.23 as of 10:43 a.m. in Tokyo, halting a three-day, 4.1 percent rally. The benchmark advanced 13 percent through yesterday since reaching a 14-month low on Jan. 22.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 1.3 percent to 13,846.58, retreating from a six-week high. Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.9 percent, the biggest decline in the region. Suncorp-Metway Ltd., the nation's No. 2 car and home insurer, slumped after profit decreased.
Most U.S. stocks fell yesterday after a slump in utility and drugmaker shares overshadowed speculation Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke will cut interest rates. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index, which swung between gains and losses at least 25 times, ended 0.1 percent lower.
Yen Strengthens
Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, fell 3 percent to 5,880 yen, the most in a week. Honda Motor Co., the second biggest, declined 3.2 percent to 3,330 yen. Toyota had about a third of its sales from North America, while Honda generated more than half of its sales there in the last fiscal year.
The yen strengthened against the dollar to as much as 105.96 in New York from 107.06 at the close of stock trading in Tokyo yesterday. Currencies in Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand also advanced against the U.S. dollar.
The dollar retreated after Bernanke said yesterday the Fed ``will act in a timely manner as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks.'' Investors are betting the Fed will cut interest rates by at least a half point at its next meeting, federal fund futures show.
Fanuc, the Japanese maker of industrial robots, declined 1.9 percent to 10,260 yen. Komatsu Ltd., the world's second-biggest maker of earthmovers, dropped 2.8 percent to 2,795 yen.
Japan's Output
Japanese companies cut output 2 percent in January from December, when it rose 1.4 percent, the Trade Ministry said today in Tokyo. Economists expected a 0.8 percent decline, according to a Bloomberg News survey.
Westfield, which operates 59 shopping malls in the U.S., lost 2.4 percent to A$17.59. Sony Corp., the world's second- biggest maker of consumer electronics, slipped 2.1 percent to 5,210 yen. Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the world's second-largest memory-chip maker, declined 1.8 percent to 24,500 won in Seoul.
Purchases of new homes in the U.S. dropped 2.8 percent in January as lending restrictions and plummeting prices kept buyers away, the Commerce Department said yesterday. A report also showed durable goods orders fell a more-than-forecast 5.3 percent last month.
Sunway, Centro
Suncorp-Metway, Australia's No. 2 car and home insurer, slumped 6.6 percent to A$14.51. Net income fell 28 percent on increased payouts for storms and declining financial markets, the insurer said.
Also in Australia, Centro Retail Group surged 44 percent to 45.5 Australian cents. The property trust can't lose more than $1.2 billion from its investment in Super LLC, a venture that runs many of Centro's U.S. malls, Chief Executive Officer Glenn Rufrano said.
Centro Retail has been tarred by the plunge in the value of its Sydney-based parent Centro Properties Group, the Australian owner of more than 700 U.S. malls that's trying to refinance A$4.9 billion ($$4.6 billion) of debt. Centro Properties gained 11 percent to 55.5 Australian cents.
Nippon Yusen K.K., Japan's largest shipping line, fell 3.8 percent to 994 yen after Mizuho Securities Co. cut its rating on the stock to ``hold'' from ``buy.'' The Topix Marine Transportation Index slipped 3.2 percent, leading declines by the 33 industrial groups on the Japanese index.
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