Asian markets settled mostly down on Friday with nervousness and anxiety surrounding the release of the PCE-based inflation readings from the United States, due later in the day for further cues on the path of policy rates. South Korean shares declined, tracked by significant drop in biopharmaceutical and auto stocks. However, Chinese shares have surged to their best week since 2008 after China's raft of economic stimulus measures including $114 billion war chest to support capital markets. Japanese shares gained on softer yen, ahead of Friday's leadership contest in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that prompting investors to assess its impact on interest rate hikes.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,087.53 | 86.58 | 2.80 |
| Hang Seng | 20,632.30 | 707.72 | 3.43 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,696.92 | -47.60 | -47.60 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,660.09 | -11.23 | -0.67 |
| Nikkei 225 | 39,829.56 | 903.93 | 2.27 |
| Straits Times | 3,573.36 | -8.87 | -0.25 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,649.78 | -21.79 | -0.82 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 22,822.79 | -36.02 | -0.16 |
