The losses weighed on energy firms, with Australia's Woodside down 2.5 percent, Tokyo-listed Inpex losing almost two percent and CNOOC in Hong Kong off 1.2 percent. Hong Kong-Shenzhen linkHong Kong added 0.4 percent with dealers welcoming Friday's announcement that a long-delayed link-up between the bourse and Shenzhen's market will start on December 5. The tie-up follows a similar "stock connect" between Shanghai and Hong Kong launched two years ago, which gave foreigners new access to Chinese companies not quoted elsewhere, and enabled mainlanders to trade in Hong Kong. Tokyo shed 0.8 percent by the break, with exporters hit by a slight recovery in the yen against the dollar. The dollar tumbled to 111.65 yen, having almost hit 114 yen at the end of last week, while higher-yielding currencies also made inroads.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 28, 2016 03:10 UTC