Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark retreating from its highest close since May, after Japan’s exports fell a third month and on signs China’s manufacturing may contract an 11th month, adding to concern the global economic slowdown is deepening.

Nikkei 225 9,086.98 -145.23 -1.57%

S&P/ASX 200 4,397.2 -21.16 -0.48%

Shanghai Composite 2,026.45 -41.38 -2.00%

Kyocera Corp., a maker of electronic parts that gets more than half of its sales outside Japan, slid 2.9 percent.

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. surged 7.1 percent after Japan’s leading fixed-line phone company said it plans to buy back as much as 3.4 percent of its shares.

Billabong International Ltd. slumped 6.9 percent as a second bidder withdrew from the sale of Australia’s largest surfwear company.