Asian shares are mixed after Wall Street inches closer to its all-time high

Market Overview - Asian shares exhibited mixed performance, with Japan's Nikkei 225 declining by 1.2% to 50,408.70, influenced by a 3.0% year-on-year drop in household spending for October, marking the sharpest decline since January 2024 [2][4] - The S&P 500 inched up by 0.1% to 6,857.12, remaining just 0.5% below its all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.1% to 47,850.94 [6][7] - South Korea's Kospi index rose by 1.1% to 4,074.00, with notable gains from LG Electronics (up 5.6%) and Hyundai Motors (up 7.2%) [4] Economic Indicators - U.S. futures were higher, while oil prices fell, with U.S. benchmark crude decreasing by 17 cents to $59.50 per barrel and Brent crude slipping by 11 cents to $63.15 per barrel [5][9] - The Reserve Bank of India cut its repo rate to 5.25% from 5.5%, citing weak price pressures and expectations for slowing economic growth [5] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates - Traders are cautious ahead of a key U.S. inflation report that could influence Federal Reserve policy, with expectations for a potential interest rate cut next week [3][7] - Recent reports indicated a stronger job market than expected, with fewer workers filing for unemployment, the lowest in over three years, and layoffs announced last month falling by more than half from October's surge [8][9]