Tokyo — Asian shares hovered near two-month lows on Thursday, as softer oil and copper prices and uncertainty over US policy kept many investors on the sidelines, even as some hi-tech bellwethers bounced back after a searing sell-off. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was barely changed. It has slipped 4.7% from a 10-year peak hit on November 23 as investors booked profits after robust gains this year. While some technology bellwethers such as Tencent and Alibaba rebounded, many others including materials shares, such as Korea’s Posco, were sluggish. In Japan, the Nikkei gained 1.3% after having suffered its biggest fall since late March on Wednesday. Investors are looking to final tax reform legislation in the US, where a potential US government shutdown looms if Congress fails to agree on a spending package. There are also fears of a violent backlash in the Middle East from President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "I would say...
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