Asian shares traded mixed during the holiday season. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose slightly, while the dollar weakened against the yen. Chinese markets saw gains, but shares fell in Thailand and Indonesia. U.S. markets closed early for Christmas, with the S&P 500 up 17% this year.

Investors remain focused on U.S. economic growth and Federal Reserve interest rate decisions. The U.S. economy grew at a strong 4.3% annual rate in Q3, driven by consumer spending. However, consumer confidence is shaky, with concerns about high prices and a slowing labor market.

Jobless claims in the U.S. fell, remaining at healthy levels despite signs of labor market weakness. Dynavax Technologies saw a 38.2% surge after being acquired by Sanofi for $2.2 billion. Novo Nordisk’s shares rose 1.8% after FDA approval for its weight-loss drug, Wegovy.

U.S. crude oil closed at $58.35 a barrel and Brent crude finished at $61.80 a barrel. Markets will reopen for a full day of trading on Friday, with light volumes expected as investors close out positions for the year.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Asian shares are mixed after US stocks drift to more records