Asian stocks fall as China's property pains weigh on sentiment

HONG KONG: Asian stocks fell on Thursday pausing the heavy gains made this week, as fresh Chinese data showed prolonged weakness in the property sector and dented some of the recent optimism about a recovery in the world's second-largest economy.

While data released this week showed China's industrial and retail sectors making a comeback, a sharp drop in property investment and weak home prices suggest persistent problems in the sector that could drag on the country's overall recovery.