Asia shares slip after US data but euro advances

Asian markets mostly retreated on Thursday following another set of below-forecast US data, with Tokyo taking the biggest hit as the yen advanced against the dollar. Tokyo slipped 0.55 percent by the break and Sydney fell 0.75 percent while Hong Kong was 0.10 percent lower and Shanghai shed 0.56 percent, but Seoul was up 0.18 percent. US traders were left disappointed Wednesday after the Commerce Department said retail sales, a key part of consumer spending that drives most of the US economy, st