Asian stocks sink after Wall St pulls back from record

Asian stock markets are lower after Wall Street pulled back from a record

BEIJING -- Asian stock markets declined Wednesday after Wall Street pulled back from a record as investors awaited a Federal Reserve report for signs of when U.S. stimulus might be withdrawn. Investors also were uncertain how much farther China will go with a regulatory crackdown that set off a slide in its internet share prices. Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney retreated while Hong Kong advanced. Investors were digesting U.S. earnings reports while worries increased after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in areas where the coronavirus's more contagious delta variant is spreading.