Asian stock indices open mostly lower

Asian stock indices opened the last session of the week mixed with Japan, China, New Zealand, and Hong Kong lower, while Australia, South Korea climbed as investors assess stimulus talks in the US and Covid vaccine implementation. 

Earlier Australian data showed retail sales rose 1.4% in November, besting estimates of 0.5%.

US Congress is expected to pass a massive new budget estimated at $1.4 trillion to avoid government shutdown on December 11.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer was planning to ship 100 million doses of Covid 19 vaccine this year but it was scaled back to 50 doses this year and an estimated 1.3 billion does next year. 

Japan's TOPEX fell 0.20% to 1,771, while Nikkei 225 declined 0.44% to 26,690.

China's CSI 300 fell 0.39%, while Shanghai slipped 0.37% to 3,429. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.16% to 26,685, while South Korea's KOSPI rallied 1.42% to 2,734. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 inched down 0.18%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.49% to 6,647.