Asia opens mostly lower

Asian stock indices opened the last session of the week mixed with Japan, China, Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea lower, while New Zealand bucked the trend higher. 

From New Zealand, manufacturing index fell to 48.7 from 54.7 in November.

New Zealand's consumer prices rose 0.5%, slowing down from 0.7^ in the third quarter, while analysts expected 0.2%. 

From Australia, manufacturing PMI rose to 57.2 from 55.7, while the services PMI fell to 55.8 from 57.0

Japan's consumer prices fell 1.2%, compared to a 0.9% drop in November.

Core prices, excluding food and energy, fell 0.4%, compared to a 0.3% decline in November, as the manufacturing PMI fell to 49.7 from 50.0.

Australis's retail sales fell 4.2%, compared to a 7.1% rise in November, missing estimates of a 1.5% drop. 

Japan's TOPEX fell 0.17% to 1,857, while Nikkei 225 declined 0.35% to 28,657.

China's CSI 300 fell 0.50%, while Shanghai declined 0.73% to 3,595. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 1.49%, while South Korea's KOSPI inched down 0.03% to 3,159. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 rose 1.35%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.34% to 6,800.