Asia Stocks Fall for First Day in 8 on Dollar, Fed Commentary

Asian stocks fell for the first time in eight days as a stronger dollar drove commodity prices lower and as the U.S. Federal Reserve warned a recovery in the world’s biggest economy doesn’t meet the threshold for scaling back its bond purchase plans.

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s biggest mining company, slipped 1 percent while Zhaojin Mining Industry Co., a Chinese gold miner, declined 2.8 percent after materials prices slipped the most in seven weeks. James Hardie Industries SE, a supplier of home siding in the U.S., dropped 2.4 percent after the Fed pledged to maintain its policy of asset purchases, known as quantitative easing, and near-zero interest rates.