Investing.com - Asian shares were mostly weaker on Wednesday with Hong Kong showing some spark as markets geared up for US consumer price data expected to set the tone for Fed rate hike plans this year.
Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.06% as a stronger yen weighed. Japan reported provisional fourth quarter GDP at 0.5% on year, compared to a 0.9% gain seen and a 0.1% rise on quarter with a 0.2% increase seen.
In Greater China, the Shanghai Composite eased 0.30% and the Hang Seng rose 0.77%. China Construction Bank added 1.94 percent, HSBC gained 1.38 percent and insurer AIA was flat. Tencent rose 1.18% while other shares in the sector traded mixed, with Lenovo Group slipping 0.26%.
Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 39.18 points, or 0.16%, to 24,640.45, the S&P 500 (SPX) gained 6.97 points, or 0.26%, to 2,662.97 and the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) added 31.55 points, or 0.45%, to 7,013.51.