By Chao Deng 

Markets across Asia fell amid worries that Chinese export data later Tuesday will add more evidence that the world's No. 2 economy is stalling.

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average was down 0.7% at 18312.15, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.3% at 5222.20 and South Korea's Kospi was off 0.1% at 2019.24.

While China's stock market has stabilized from its dramatic swings of this summer's selloff, "the issue is that we may see further weakness in the composition of exports," said Evan Lucas, market strategist at brokerage IG.

Chinese authorities are due to report September exports data later Tuesday, after reporting a 6.1% decline in exports on year in August. Nomura projects that exports fell 8% in September from a year earlier.

Chinese markets rallied Monday after the central bank announced fresh stimulus to boost the economy and expectations build that more could be on the way. Poor exports data could also spur expectations for further easing.

In the past few months, concern about the spillover of China's slowdown has shaken global markets and regional economies that rely heavily on Chinese demand, sending emerging-market currencies and commodities to multiyear lows.

In Australia, which counts China among its biggest trading partners, the Australian dollar was down 0.2% against the U.S. dollar in early Asia trade at $0.7340. It is also down from as high as $0.7382 yesterday, which marked its strongest level since August.

Meanwhile, the National Australia Bank's business confidence index rose to 5 points in September from 1 point in August, as firms welcomed the election of Malcolm Turnbull, a former investment banker, as prime minister.

Brent crude oil prices were up 0.8% at $50.27 a barrel in Asia trade after falling more than 5% overnight.

Prices in the U.S. also fell after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reported that its output rose to a more-than-three-year high last month, pointing to supply glut.

Speculation is growing that the U.S. Federal Reserve could maintain its easy policy stance given risks posed by weaker overseas economies. Federal Reserve Gov. Lael Brainard issued a call for caution about raising short-term interest rates. That has been a positive for global stocks in recent weeks, as low interest rates mean lower borrowing costs for companies.

The dollar edged lower against other currencies overnight, as investors discounted the possibility that the U.S. will raise interest rates in coming months. The Wall Street Journal Dollar Index, which gauges the U.S. currency against a basket of 16 currencies, was last flat in early Asia trade.

U.S. stocks rose overnight. Health-care stocks pushed the Dow Jones Industrials higher and to its longest winning streak in almost a year.

Gold prices were down 0.22% at $1,161.80 a troy ounce. Prices are down from a more than $1,163 reached late Monday in Asia, marking the highest since July.

Investors also are looking to Chinese inflation data due for release on Wednesday, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

Gregor Stuart Hunter contributed to this article.

Write to Chao Deng at Chao.Deng@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 12, 2015 21:24 ET (01:24 GMT)