ASIA PACIFIC

STOCKS were dragged lower by Australian banks yesterday after Australia & New Zealand Banking Group said it was raising capital. Chinese shares fell amid concern government intervention would fail to stop more declines. The MSCI Asia Pacific index slid 0.2 percent to 140.76 points as of 4.01pm in Hong Kong. Australian financial shares were the biggest drag on the regional gauge. The Shanghai composite index slid 0.9 percent on low trading volumes. Japan’s Topix index climbed 0.5 percent as investors weighed company earnings. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.6 percent. – Bloomberg