Asian markets mixed after Wall St decline, virus unease

By JOE McDONALD
AP Business Writer

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets are mixed after a turbulent day on Wall Street as traders tried to forecast the impact of the coronavirus’s omicron variant. Shanghai and Tokyo fell while Hong Kong and Seoul advanced. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index ended down 1.2%. That was despite surveys showing U.S. hiring and factory activity in November were better than expected. The White House announced the discovery of the first omicron case in the United States. Governments have responded to the variant by tightening travel controls, fueling unease about the outlook for a global economic recovery.