Asian markets settled mostly lower on Friday ahead of US non-farm payrolls report due later in the day, but losses were limited by positive cues from Wall Street overnight after data showed initial unemployment claims declined for a second week. China shares closed lower on worries over a continuing surge of Covid-19 cases and tightening government regulations. However, Japanese shares gained even as the country expanded its Covid-19 emergency curbs to cover more than 70 percent of the population, as a record surge in cases strained hospitals in the Olympics host city Tokyo and other parts of the country.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,458.23 | -8.32 | -0.24 |
Hang Seng | 26,179.40 | -25.29 | -0.10 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,203.43 | -1.99 | -0.03 |
KLSE Composite | 1,490.43 | -5.35 | -0.36 |
Nikkei 225 | 27,820.04 | 91.92 | 0.33 |
Straits Times | 3,173.67 | -1.43 | -0.05 |
KOSPI Composite | 3,270.36 | -5.77 | -0.18 |
Taiwan Weighted | 17,526.28 | -76.84 | -0.44 |
