Asian shares have slipped after Wall Street closed out its best month of the year with big gains in November. U.S. futures rose while oil prices dropped. Benchmarks rose in Tokyo and Taiwan but fell in most other regional markets. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% Thursday. The Dow jumped 1.5% with an assist from Salesforce, which reported better-than-expected results and raised its outlook. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%. Investors expect the Federal Reserve to keep rates steady at its December meeting and perhaps consider rate cuts in early 2024. Positive economic data has raised hopes for a “soft landing” of the economy, balancing inflation without causing a recession.
