In Asia today, the Nikkei just closed down 55.55 points at 14,872.15, while the Hang Seng ended the morning session up 8.13 points at 15,036.89.
Oil prices continued to slide with New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January dlwn 42 cents to $56.08 a barrel from its close of $56.50 in the US where it had lost 86 cents overnight.