Asian markets end mostly lower on Friday

Asian equity markets ended mostly lower on Friday on the back of Bank of Japan’s disappointment and the oil price downturn, with US crude futures falling further towards the $40 mark in Asian trade on concerns over a supply glut and waning demand from key international markets. The safe-haven Japanese yen soared after the Bank of Japan's fresh stimulus measures disappointed markets. Bank of Japan raised the target for exchange-traded fund purchases and doubled its dollar lending program, but kept its interest rate and the pace of monetary base expansion unchanged. The central bank also downgraded its projections for inflation and growth for fiscal 2016. Chinese shares closed lower on worries that regulatory changes are coming to restrict investments by small banks in the rapidly growing $3.5 trillion wealth management product industry. However, Japanese shares themselves rose in volatile trade, with banks and insurers pacing gainers, after the central bank refrained from expanding negative interest rates and ensured smooth funding in foreign currencies.