SINGAPORE — Shares in Japan looked set for a lower start as investors in Asia monitor developments from the Covid situation in Hong Kong to tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Chicago had a Nikkei futures market at 27,010 and Osaka at 27,380. This is compared to the Nikkei 225’sLast Close at 27696.08.

And elsewhere, S&P/ASX 200Morning trade in Australia was flat

Investors will be keeping an eye out for developments in Ukraine-Russia tensions. Wall Street stock prices plunged on Friday as fears about a Russia-Ukraine attack sent the Nasdaq Composite down nearly 3%.

Asia investors will be watching developments in Hong Kong’s Covid, which is the city’s health capacity. becomes reportedly stretchedFollowing a recent rise in infection rates. Hong Kong’s chief secretariat announced this weekend that China will support the city in areas like testing and quarantine.

It U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 96.027 — largely holding on to gains following its recent recovery from around the 95.7 level.

It Japanese yenThe dollar traded at 115.50 dollars, after having risen sharply against the greenback of 116 late last week. The Australian dollarThe price was at $0.7143, a drop of $0.72 from last week.