Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index heading for a three-week low, amid concern signs of improvement in the U.S. jobs market will prompt the Federal Reserve to bring forward cuts to stimulus.
Nikkei 225 15,177.49 -230.45 -1.50%
S&P/ASX 200 5,197.96 -75.79 -1.44%
Shanghai Composite 2,247.06 -4.70 -0.21%
Nissan Motor Co., a Japanese carmaker that gets 34 percent of its revenue in North America, dropped 3.5 percent.
Qantas Airways Ltd. tumbled 11 percent after Australia’s largest carrier announced job cuts and forecast a A$300m ($271 million) first-half loss amid competition.
Standard Chartered Plc sank 4.8 percent in Hong Kong after the U.K. lender said full-year operating profit at its consumer-banking unit will drop at least 10 percent, hurt by its Korean business.