2016.12.0904:11:00UTC+00Asian Shares Mixed as South Korean Parliament Impeaches Park

Asian markets closed mixed, with a decline from gaming shares in Hong Kong and as South Korea's main index fell before the parliament voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye regarding an influence-peddling scandal. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares excluding Japan edged down 0.3 percent and was on track for a weekly gain of 1.9 percent.

Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.23 percent at 18,996.37 while the Topix index edged up 0.84 percent to 5,560.62. Australia's ASX 200 added 0.31 percent to 5,560.62, lifted by a 1.09 percent advance in the energy sector and the heavily-weighted financial sector's 0.98 percent gain. Shares of Australia's Crown Resorts dropped 5.32 percent. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.31 percent at 2,024.69 while the Korean won firmed at nearly 1,164.26 versus the dollar.

China's shares were mixed, as the Shanghai composite rose 0.52 percent at 3,232.06 while the Shenzhen composite slipped 0.35 percent at 2,070. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index retreated 0.56 percent, with gaming shares facing sharp losses. Shares of Galaxy Entertainment sank 7.30 percent, Melco International Development plunged 9.74 percent, Sands China tumbled 8.13 percent and SJM Holdings lost 6.65 percent.

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