Looking at the chart: Asia-Pacific markets are expected to kick off the penultimate trading day of the year on a weaker note. The region's major indices appear positioned to open lower as traders wrap up year-end positions and ahead of the final sessions. This downward bias reflects broader market consolidation patterns we've been seeing across global exchanges as participants square off before the new year. Keep an eye on how these opening moves shake out—end-of-year liquidity and position adjustments typically create interesting trading dynamics across the board.