Asian markets are fell for second consecutive day on disappointing US industrial durable goods orders data. The easing in oil prices also impacted the performance of energy stocks. Among the hardest hit stocks, Toyota Motor, Asia's largest automaker by market value (which derives 28% of its revenue from the United States) fell 0,7%. BHP Billiton, Australia's largest oil producer, slipped 0,8 percent. Leighton Holdings Ltd., Australia's largest construction firm, fell 6,7% after announcing a cut in its fiscal 2012 profit forecast amid bad weather and rising costs.
More generally, MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0,2% to 127.13 as of 9:10 am Tokyo, totaling a monthly loss of 1,4 percent. However, the index was up 11,8% in 2012, approaching the largest quarterly gain since the third quarter of 2010, on speculation that a strengthening US economy would boost profits in Asian export industries.
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