Asian stocks fell, led by financial companies, after condominium builder Urban Corp. filed for bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch said the credit crisis isn't over. Commodity producers gained after oil and metal prices rose.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average in Tokyo ended the morning session down 39.16 points or 0.3% at 12,983.89. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 33 points or 0.2% at 21,259.
The Kospi in Seoul, the Straits Times in Singapore and the Taiex in Taiwan were nearly unchanged. The Shanghai Composite index in China was down 18 points or 0.7% at 2428.
