asian stocks look set for a cautious start wednesday after a dip in us shares on concern that the delta coronavirus variant is slowing the economic recovery from the pandemic futures for japan were steady australian contracts slipped and those for hong kong rose us futures fluctuated after the sp 500 fell and the nasdaq 100 climbed to a record as investors sought more defensive areas of the market chinese technology equities listed in the us jumped on bets that the worst of beijing’s regulatory crackdown has passed