Asian bank stocks advanced, countering declines by automakers and consumer-electronics companies amid concern the deepening global recession will cause profits to deteriorate further. Five stocks rose for every four that fell on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index, which added 0.4 percent to 70.88 as of 1:36 p.m. in Tokyo. The gauge has slumped 21 percent this year, extending last year’s record 43 percent tumble as the global recession decimated profits at companies from Toyota to Sony.

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