BANGKOK — Asian shares were mixed in muted trading on Friday, the last trading day of the year, with some regional markets logging solid gains in 2023 while many sagged.
U.S. futures and oil prices edged higher.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gave up 0.6% to 33,358.11. It is up nearly 30% in 2023, its best year in a decade as the Japanese central bank inches toward ending its longstanding ultra-lax monetary policy.
The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was down 0.5% at 16,966.77, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3% to 2,964.68. The Shanghai index has lost about 4% this year and the Hang Seng is down nearly 15%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.4% to 7,582.20, having gained 6.2% for the year.
India’s Sensex slipped 0.2% to 72,255.72. It has gained more than 18% this year, reaching new highs as investors bought heavily on expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates…
