Asian stocks fall as U.S. manufacturing growth slows

Bloomberg - Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index trading at a five-month low, after data showing weaker-than-expected growth in U.S. manufacturing helped extend a rout that wiped about $1.9 trillion from the value of equities last month.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index lost 0.7 percent to 133.04 at 9:02 a.m. in Tokyo, heading for the lowest close since Sept. 3. The measure dropped 4.6 percent in January for its worst start to a year since 2009 as economic data from China missed estimates and emerging-market currencies slumped.

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