WELLINGTON, May 19 — Asian stocks fell, with the regional index slipping a second day, while Malaysia’s ringgit strengthened after data showing faster-than-estimated economic growth. Nickel rose a second day amid a reinvigoration of concerns over supply, as gold retreated with silver.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index lost 0.2 per cent by 9:22 am. in Tokyo, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index in Sydney and Seoul’s Kospi gauge down at least 0.4 per cent. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures rose 0.1 per cent after the gauge halted a two-day drop May 16. The ringgit climbed for the first time in three days, adding 0.4 per cent. Nickel rose 0.8 per cent after slipping 4.4 per cent last week, and copper gained 0.4 per cent. Gold and silver lost at least 0.1 per cent after rising last week.

China’s housing-market slowdown is spreading, according to data issued yesterday, with prices rising in the fewest cities in 1 1/2 years. The government plans to evacuate citizens from Vietnam amid violent protests and damage to factories there, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported. Thailand reports quarterly gross domestic product data today, amid a political vacuum after the ouster of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Malaysia posted the fastest economic growth in five quarters.

“Data out of China’s real-estate sector continues to worsen,” Sharon Zollner, a senior economist in Auckland at ANZ Bank New Zealand Ltd. wrote in a client note today. “A property slowdown has long been desired by the authorities, but there is a risk this train could overrun the station.”

Japanese indexes

Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 0.2 per cent while the broader Topix measure was little changed. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index lost less than 0.1 per cent.

The ringgit appreciated to 3.2230 per dollar, while Thailand’s baht was little changed at 32.385 a dollar. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predict data today will show the Thai economy contracted in the first three months of the year from the previous quarter.

One-month non-deliverable forwards on India’s rupee weakened 0.2 per cent today to 59.01 per dollar after the currency reached an 11-month high May 16. The rupee surged as an opposition bloc led by Narendra Modi unseated the Congress Party in national elections.

Nickel climbed to US$19,174 (RM61,864) a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, while copper rose to US$6,885.50 a ton.

Nickel rose for the first time in three days in London May 16, cutting its weekly decline to 4.4 per cent after rallying nine per cent the previous week. Macquarie Group Ltd says demand for the metal will exceed production for the next five years as consumers seek to replace supply from Indonesia, which banned ore exports in January. Russia is also the world’s second-biggest producer of refined nickel.

Gold fell 0.1 per cent to US$1,292.06 an ounce after climbing 0.4 per cent last week. Silver dropped 0.2 per cent to US$19.3415 an ounce following last week’s 1.1 per cent jump. — Bloomberg