ASIA PACIFIC

STOCKS were little changed yesterday, paring an earlier drop, as investors awaited this week’s US Federal Reserve policy decision and weighed economic reports from China. The MSCI Asia Pacific index dropped less than 0.1 percent to 127.22 points as of 12.11pm in London, having earlier fallen 0.5 percent. The Shanghai composite index slid 2.7 percent at the close, its steepest drop in three weeks, after data over the weekend added to concern the economic slowdown was deepening. The Hang Seng index climbed 0.3 percent, while Japan’s Topix index declined 1.2 percent. – Bloomberg