Asian shares declined in muted trading Wednesday as investors awaited an upcoming report on inflation in the United States, an important indicator for where interest rates and global growth might go in the coming months.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.4% in afternoon trading to 29,136.92. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 inched down 0.1% to 7,255.70. South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.9% to 2,488.42. Hong Kong's Hang Seng dipped 0.4% to 19,783.56, while the Shanghai Composite shed 1.4% to 3,309.98.
