The development pointed mainly downward in the initial trading on the leading Asian stock exchanges that were open on Thursday.
The Hang Seng index on the Hong Kong stock exchange showed a minus of 1.5 percent at lunch local time.
The composite indices on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges simultaneously showed a minus of 1.1 percent and minus 0.6 percent, respectively.
In South Korea, the Kospi index was traded down 0.4 percent.
The Tokyo stock exchange remained closed and has not yet begun trading for the new year.
