Asian Stocks Fall as Japan Reverses Gain After Abe Speech

Asian stocks fell, led by Japanese equities, after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe failed to impress investors in a speech outlining his growth strategy. Shares dropped across the region amid concern the Federal Reserve will scale back stimulus as the U.S. economy improves.

Japan’s Topix index slid 3.2 percent, reversing a gain of 1.2 percent, after Abe’s speech in Tokyo. Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s No. 2 lender by market value, fell 2.6 percent, pacing declines among financial shares after the nation’s economy grew less than expected. GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd., the world’s No. 1 maker of polysilicon used in solar panels, rose 6.1 percent in Hong Kong after the European Union imposed smaller-than-expected tariffs on panels from China.