Asian markets mixed amid Omicron threat

HONG KONG, China: Asian markets were mixed on Friday as traders tracked developments in the Omicron virus strain as it spreads around the world, fueling concerns about the economic recovery, just as the Federal Reserve sets the stage to withdraw its vast pandemic-era financial support.

Hong Kong was among the main losers with several dual-listed tech giants taking a hit after US officials adopted a rule allowing them to remove foreign firms from Wall Street unless they provided certain information to auditors, a move primarily targeting Chinese entities.