Stock markets in China are losing ground in early trading. The tech-heavy Shenzhen Stock Exchange was down about 1.0 percent by lunchtime, while the Shanghai Composite was down 0.3 percent.
The Hong Kong-based Hang Seng Index is down 0.7 percent.
The indices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange are diverging. The Nikkei 225 is down 0.5 percent, while the broader Topix is up 0.8 percent.
The KOSPI in Seoul, South Korea, is up 0.9 percent.
