ASIA PACIFIC

STOCKS declined yesterday, with a regional measure falling to its lowest level in more than four years, as concern about China’s growth outlook continued to fan a global sell-off. The MSCI Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, index tumbled 2 percent to 374.51 points as of 4.04pm in Hong Kong, heading for its lowest close since October 2011, after sinking 7.1 percent last week. Markets in Tokyo were closed for a holiday yesterday. China’s Shanghai composite index slumped 5.3 percent to the lowest close in almost four months. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index sank 2.8 percent.