Global shares stuck near peaks, US oil futures extend declines

TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares stalled near record highs on Friday as investors weighed renewed doubts about a highly-anticipated coronavirus vaccine against hopes that some of the region’s economies will recovery quicker than their Western peers.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.11% but remained with striking distance of a life-time peak touched this week. Australian shares were down 0.56%. Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.12% in choppy trade.

Shares in China rose 0.37% after data showed Chinese industrial profits hit a nine-year high. South Korean stocks also rose 0.05%.

U. S. S&P 500 e-mini stock futures fell 0.29% in Asian trade. U.