Asian stock markets fall

Asia-Pacific markets were lower, led by losses on Wall Street overnight as investors look ahead to the year ahead. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.4% and the Topix fell 1.11%. South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.44% as the country’s November retail sales fell 1.8% for a third straight month, reversing gains seen in the third quarter. The S&P/ASX 200 also fell 1.22% in Australia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 1.4% in the first hour of trading despite further easing of Covid restrictions coming into effect today and stocks being closely watched as the reopening continues. The city is due to release trading data later in the day. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite lost 0.43% and the Shenzhen Composite lost 0.37%. The US government has announced that starting January 5, it will require airline passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong and Macau to show a negative COVID test result, regardless of their nationality and vaccination status.