Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday as investors awaited the outlines of US tax overhaul plans by President Donald Trump.
Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.3 per cent to 20,270.97 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.3 per cent to 5,656.40. But South Korea's Kospi added 0.1 per cent to 2,375.92.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.5 per cent to 27,662.57. China's Shanghai Composite Index was nearly flat at 3,345.12. Stocks in Southeast Asia were mixed, reports AP.
US stock indexes finished barely higher on Tuesday. The S&P 500 index added 0.18 points to 2,496.84. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 11.77 points, almost 0.1 per cent, to 22,284.32.
The Nasdaq composite gained 9.57 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 6,380.16. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks gained 4.91 points, or 0.3 per cent, to a record 1,456.86.
Benchmark US crude rose 24 cents to $52.12 per barrel on New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract slid 34 cents to finish at $51.88 a barrel on Tuesday.
Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, gained 22 cents to $58.14 a barrel in London. It gave up 51 cents to $57.92 a barrel in London on Tuesday.
The dollar rose to 112.41 yen from 112.23 yen. The euro fell to $1.1788 from $1.1791.