Asia shares finish year on lacklustre note over oil worries

Asian markets finished the year on a lower note as weaker oil prices overnight placed further pressure on equities.

With no real impetus from US markets to draw from and a raft of markets either closed or only trading for a half day on New Year's eve, there was little inspiration for investors or traders.

A 3% overnight fall in oil prices weighed on sentiment, although there was a small uptick in Asian trade for US West Texas Intermediate crude and Brent crude.

China's benchmark Shanghai Composite closed its final session of the year 33.69 points, or 0.94% lower at 3,539.18. Overall, the index gained 9.4% during the year.

Australian stocks ended a miserable year, with the ASX 200 down 0.45% at 5,295.9. The index lost 2% over the year, a reflection of its heavy dependence on growth in China and demand for raw materials.

Mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were lower on the day as the hammering of the commodities sector showed no signs of abating.

The Australian dollar closed higher at 0.7296 against the US dollar.

Hong Kong's share market closed early, with the Hang Seng index up 32.25 points or 0.15% at 21,914.40. The index shed 7% over the year.

China Animal Healthcare reported that it had lost five years-worth of financial documents that went missing after the truck carrying them was stolen as the driver took a lunch break.

The documents were stolen while being transported from a storage facility to the company's headquarters in Beijing.
China Animal Healthcare shares have been suspended since March and the company is in the middle of an investigation of its accounts.

The Japanese and South Korean markets were closed on Thursday.

Investors will have a keen eye on official readings of Chinese manufacturing and services in December, due on 1 January.