Asian Stocks Fall For Fourth Day

November 20, 2009 9:43 a.m. EST

Hong Kong (AHN) - Asian stocks were mostly down on Friday, falling for a fourth day.

The S&P/ASX 200 declined 63 points, or 1.3 percent, to end trading at 4,685.78 in Sydney. The drop was the biggest for the index in almost three weeks. In New Zealand, the NZX 50 slipped 27.6 points, or 0.9 percent, to 3,113.63.

For the first time in six days the Shanghai Composite fell, dropping 12 points, or 0.4 percent, to 3,308.35. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 187 points, or 0.8 percent, to 22,455.84, while in Taipei the Taiex fell 77 points, or 1 percent, to 7,682.97.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei Average slipped 52 points, or 0.5 percent, to 9,497.68

The Sensex in Mumbai was among the few indices showing gains. It added 236 points, or 1.4 percent, to end the day at 17,021.85. The Straits Times Index in Singapore added 0.1 percent and the Kospi in Seoul was unchanged.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 1.1 points, or 0.9 percent, to 117.50.