Asia markets finished mixed on the final day of trading in March, as investors await two expected executive orders by U.S. President Donald Trump which will tackle trade deficit and tariff enforcement.
The Nikkei 225 in Japan slumped 153.96 points, or 0.8%, to 18,909.26, as the yen traded at 111.84 to the U.S. dollar late Friday afternoon local time, strengthening from an earlier low of 112.19.
The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong tumbled 189.5 points, or 0.8%, to 24,111.59
One of the executive orders from Washington is expected to commission a report on trade practices that contribute to trade deficit, and the second will strive to implement better collection of anti-dumping and countervailing duties.
Japan's core consumer prices rose 0.2% in February year-on-year, marking the fastest growth in nearly two years. But household spending fell 3.8% in February from a year earlier, missing estimates for a 1.7% fall.
Meanwhile, Japan's February jobless rate declined to 2.8%, its lowest rate since June 1994, and marked an improvement in the labour market.
The atmosphere was tense among Toshiba shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting on Thursday after they agreed to split off its prized NAND flash memory unit, to cover its U.S. subsidiary's multi-billion-dollar losses. Toshiba shares closed up 5.8%
Korean markets settled as the country’s February factory output fell 3.4% from the previous month, the worst in over eight years. An economist poll had expected industrial output for last month to be flat.
Meanwhile, a South Korean court approved a warrant to arrest ousted President Park Geun-hye, over accusations of bribery and abuse of power.
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 regained 19.29 points, or 0.6%, to 3,456.05
Trump's expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will also be closely watched by markets. Xi, along with his wife Peng Liyuan, is expected to be hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the U.S. president's Florida golf resort next Thursday and Friday.
But Trump said the meeting will be "a very difficult one" in a Thursday tweet and said that the U.S. could no longer tolerate massive trade deficits and job losses.
The full-year earnings reports of Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines all missed analyst expectations on Thursday, with their foreign exchange losses totaling 11.04 billion yuan ($1.6 billion). The yuan has depreciated 6.6 percent against the dollar last year.
Hong Kong-listed shares of Air China fell nearly 1%, Shanghai-listed China Eastern Airlines was off 2.3% and China Southern Airlines dropped 1.6%
China's official March manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 51.8 in March, compared to February's 51.6. China services PMI was also stronger, up at 55.1, compared to last month's reading of 54.2. The 50-point mark separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis.
In other markets
The Kospi Index in Korea deleted 4.41 points, or 0.2%, to 2,160.23
In Taiwan, the Taiex lost 36.63 points, or 0.4%, to 9,811.52
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index nicked up 1.87 points, or 0.1%, to 3,175.11
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 gained 27.67 points, or 0.4%, to 7,196.78
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 subtracted 31.32 points, or 0.5%, to 5,864.91
