Beijing, China (BBN)-Asian shares were lower on Thursday as falling oil prices weighed on energy stocks in the region.
The US dollar also strengthened after Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen signalled readiness to raise interest rates, reports BBC.
Brent crude also tumbled over 4 per cent to $42.49 (£33.11) a barrel after OPEC countries suggested there would be no production cuts at their meeting.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index traded flat at 19,937.05, reversing earlier losses.
Chinese shares opened lower with the Shanghai Composite index down 0.4 per cent to 3,524.02, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.6 per cent to 22,341.15.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index was lower by 0.5 per cent to 5,234.30 on the weakness in other commodity prices.
Government data also showed that the value of exports fell a seasonally adjusted 3 per cent in October, mainly due to lower demand for commodities such as gold.
In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi index fell 1.1 per cent to 1,985.67 despite a revision to third quarter growth figures which showed more of an acceleration in the economy.
The economy grew 1.3 per cent in the three months to September from the previous quarter, versus an originally stated 1.2 per cent, which was the fastest pace since mid-2010.
On an annual basis, growth rose 2.7 per cent, compared to 2.6 per cent initially forecast.
BBN/SK/AD