Stock market today: Asian shares mixed in choppy trading after US inflation report

Asian shares were mixed in choppy trading Thursday after a report showed evidence that inflation in the United States is cooling, even if it remains too high. Shares fell in Tokyo, Sydney and Hong Kong, but rose in Seoul and Shanghai. Concerns about the Chinese economy remain a major focus, especially for the Asian region. The latest cause for worry comes from trade data released earlier this week. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.2% on Wednesday after swinging between gains and losses through the day. The Dow ended lower, while the Nasdaq composite gained ground.