Asian stocks mixed amid unease about vaccine development

Asian stock markets were mixed Friday as questions about effectiveness of one possible coronavirus vaccine weighed on investor optimism.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney retreated while Tokyo and Seoul gained.

Investors have been encourd by reports of progress toward a possible vaccine. But y were uneasy after researchers questioned data that showed a candidate from University of Oxford and AstraZeneca was 70% effective.

“Market participants showed increasing signs of nervousness as data errors were revealed,” said Mizuho Bank in a report.

Shanghai Composite Index lost less than 0.1% to 3,368.12 and Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.2% to 26,776.83. Nikkei 225 in Tokyo rose 0.3% to 26,626.81.

Kospi in Seoul ded 0.1% to 2,630.07 while Sydney's S&P-ASX 200 shed 0.5% to 6,603.70.

India's Sensex opened down less than 0.1% at 44,241.06. New Zealand, Bangkok and Jakarta gained while Singapore retreated.

U.S. markets were closed Thursday for a holiday.

Investors are looking forward to a possible vaccine to control pandemic that plunged global ecomy into its deepest slump since 1930s, though forecasters warn stock market rebound might be too early to be sustained.

Those hopes were dented this week when researchers questioned how Oxford and AstraZeneca calculated effectiveness of ir vaccine. That alliance is among researchers who have reported most progress toward a possible vaccine. AstraZeneca CEO told Bloomberg News company might conduct ar trial.

Investors also are dismayed that U.S. states and European governments are reimposing controls on business and travel as infection rates surge.

disease has killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide and re are 61 million confirmed cases, according to data gared by Johns Hopkins University.

Markets are uneasy about U.S. data showing consumer spending weakening and job losses rising.

Supplemental unemployment benefits that supported consumer spending, engine of U.S. ecomy, have expired. Congress is delocked on a possible new aid plan.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude lost 75 cents to $44.96 per barrel in electronic tring on New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost 2 cents to $47.77 per barrel in London.

dollar fell to 103.97 yen from Thursday’s 104.25 yen. euro rose to $1.1923 from $1.1906.