Stocks in Asia ended mostly lower today, though
continued strength in oil stocks helped Hong Kong's Hang Seng rack up a 0.4% gain ahead of its long holiday weekend. Elsewhere in the region, Chinese insurance stocks were mixed after regulators set forth stricter disclosure requirements for investments, while a stronger yen kept Tokyo-listed stocks under pressure. By the close, China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.6%, Japan's Nikkei dipped 0.5%, and South Korea's Kospi lost 0.4%.
European markets are little changed in an abbreviated, low-volume trading session, with traders playing it safe ahead of the extended Christmas weekend. London's FTSE 100 finished up 0.2%, while France's CAC 40 is off 0.3% at last look. Markets in Germany are closed for holiday.
