In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng gave up 0.6% to 23,196.33, while the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.1% lower, to 3,368.24.

Investors will be keeping an eye on the Japanese yen, which strengthened to a more than two-month high of 150.52 per U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- Surging demand for Hong Kong equities sapped ... chief Asia foreign-exchange and rates strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence. Investors’ stock purchases “could also cause ...