Asian equity indices are mostly trading in the red terrain in the morning deals on Friday with investors treading cautiously ahead of the US jobs report due to be released later in the day. The overnight weak close on Wall Street and a lack of fresh triggers from the region are also contributed to the downward movements in stock prices. The Japanese stock market declined with investors indulging in some profit taking after recent gains and also on the caution ahead of the release of the US jobs report, though speculation that the Bank of Japan may adopt more stimulus next week underpinned shares of real estate and brokerage firms. Meanwhile, China’s stocks rose as technology and material companies advanced. Among other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea are down marginally. Indonesia is trading notably lower, while Malaysia and Shanghai are up with modest gains.
Hang Seng declined 57.50 points or 0.25% to 22,507.58, Jakarta Composite dropped by 41.08 points or 0.84% to 4,850.23, Nikkei 225 crumbled 19.51 points or 0.13% to 15,052.37, Straits Times slipped by 7.85 points or 0.24% to 3,212.21 and KOSPI Composite was down by 3.73 points or 0.19% to 1,989.97.
On the flip side, Shanghai Composite increased 7.30 points or 0.36% to 2,051.00 and KLSE Composite was up by 2.16 points or 0.12% to 1,857.79.
Taiwan markets remained shut for the trade today for Children's Day holiday.