Asian shares fell on Thursday as investors awaited manufacturing data from China later in the session for clues about whether Beijing would be prompted to take more stimulus action in the world’s second-biggest economy.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched down 0.1 per cent, with Australian shares easing 0.2 per cent and South Korean shares falling 0.5 per cent.

The Nikkei stock average opened down 0.6 per cent after jumping to a 4-1/2 month high on Wednesday.