singapore shares in australia slipped in friday morning trade with the countrys october retail sales data expected later in the day the spasx 200 fell 024 in morning trade with shares of major miner bhp declining about 05 australias retail sales data for october is set to be released at 830 am hksin meanwhile the nikkei futures contract in chicago was at 29435 while its counterpart in osaka was at 29510 that compared against the nikkei 225s last close at 2949928 in covid developments world health organization officials said thursday they are monitoring a new variant with a large number of mutations a special meeting is scheduled for friday to discuss its implications for vaccines and treatments