Asia-Pacific stocks trade lower as new coronavirus strain in U.K. weighs on investor sentiment

Shares in Asia-Pacific declined in Tuesday trade following investor jitters overnight on Wall Street over a new coronavirus strain in the U.K. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.64% while the Topix index fell 1.15%. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 0.56%. Mainland Chinese stocks were mixed by the afternoon. The Shanghai composite shed 0.2% while the Shenzhen component climbed 0.162%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index sat fractionally lower. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.05%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dipped 0.43%.

Australia’s retail sales jumped 7% in November as compared with October on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to preliminary figures released by the country’s Bureau of Statistics. Following that data release, the Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7563, after dropping below $0.75 yesterday.

Developments surrounding the coronavirus pandemic likely continued to weigh on investor sentiment, following the discovery of a new Covid strain in the U.K. that has prompted tighter lockdowns and travel restrictions across Europe.

Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 declined 0.4% to close at 3,694.92 while the Nasdaq Composite finished its trading day 0.1% lower at 12,742.52. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, on the other hand, gained 37.40 points to close at 30,216.45.

Asia-Pacific stocks trade lower as new coronavirus strain in U.K. weighs on investor sentiment, CNBC, Dec 22

Australia’s retail sales jumped 7% in November as compared with October on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to preliminary figures released by the country’s Bureau of Statistics. Following that data release, the Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7563, after dropping below $0.75 yesterday.

Developments surrounding the coronavirus pandemic likely continued to weigh on investor sentiment, following the discovery of a new Covid strain in the U.K. that has prompted tighter lockdowns and travel restrictions across Europe.

Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 declined 0.4% to close at 3,694.92 while the Nasdaq Composite finished its trading day 0.1% lower at 12,742.52. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, on the other hand, gained 37.40 points to close at 30,216.45.

Asia-Pacific stocks trade lower as new coronavirus strain in U.K. weighs on investor sentiment, CNBC, Dec 22