Asian markets end mostly in red on Friday

Asian stocks ended mostly in red on Friday, as oil extended overnight losses and the dollar stood tall on expectations of a US rate rise in the wake of disappointment from the ECB meeting. The European Central Bank on Thursday left its ultra-loose monetary policy unchanged and left the door open for more stimulus, but didn't discuss an extension of its monthly €80 billion ($88 billion) bond-buying program. Japanese shares ended lower as the dollar held flat against the yen and investors waited for major corporate earnings next week. Meanwhile, Chinese shares eked out modest gains, led by gains in infrastructure-related stocks, after China's finance ministry issued rules for the management of government funds used in private-public partnership projects. The yuan hit a fresh six-year low after ECB President Mario Draghi signaled that quantitative easing won't come to an ‘abrupt’ end. Hong Kong stock markets were shut for the day due to a typhoon warning.