Asian shares mostly slip amid lingering omicron worries

By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly lower amid lingering worries about the omicron coronavirus variant’s potential to damage the regional economy and mixed cues from Wall Street. Benchmarks fell in Japan, South Korea and China, while the index jumped in Australia. Although reported infection cases from the omicron variant in Asia remain relatively small compared to the U.S. and Europe, fears are growing that omicron will spread quickly once it gets going. Stocks closed mixed on Wall Street, leaving the S&P 500 just shy of its latest record high set a day earlier.