Stock market today: Asian trading mixed ahead of earnings

Asian shares were mixed Wednesday, as investors took a wait-and-see stance ahead of earnings reports and possible moves by central banks.

Asian shares were mixed Wednesday, as investors took a wait-and-see stance ahead of earnings reports and possible moves by central banks.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 0.2% to finish at 28,606.76. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up nearly 0.1% to 7,365.50. South Korea's Kospi gained less than 0.1% to 2,573.58. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.2% to 20,410.16. The Shanghai Composite shed 0.6% to 3,371.66.

News that China's economic growth accelerated in the latest quarter, to an annual 4.5%, did not have much of an impact on share prices. While consumption and retail sales have grown, other indicators, such as industrial output and fixed-asset investments, were weaker and indicate an uneven recovery.

"It may still be a worst-is-over story, but recovery has shown to be more gradual than a one-shot wonder," Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at IG, said in a report.

Wall Street closed little changed after a day of meandering trading. The S&P 500 edged up 0.1% to 4,154.87 after drifting between small gains and losses throughout the day.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped less than 0.1% to 33,976.63 and the Nasdaq composite was down less than 0.1%, at 12,153.41.

Lockheed Martin was one of Wall Street's bigger gainers. It climbed 2.4% after reporting a profit for the latest quarter that topped analysts' expectations.