Markets in Asia closed mixed on Thursday, with Japanese shares dropping amid a stronger yen against the U.S. dollar.
The Nikkei 225 in Japan erased another 125.77 points, or 0.7%, to 18,426.84. The greenback fetched 109.08 yen mid-afternoon, with the Japanese currency strengthening from levels over 111 reached earlier in the week.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index dropped 51.84 points, or 0.2%, to 24,261.66
Among major exporters, Toyota shares closed 1.2% lower at 5,731 yen per share while Mitsubishi Electric declined 2.5% to close at 637 yen.
The strength in the yen corresponded with broad declines in the dollar, following President Donald Trump's remarks to the Wall Street Journal that the greenback was getting "too strong."
In the interview with the Journal, Trump also reversed a crucial campaign promise and said his administration will not label China a currency manipulator in a report due this week.
In corporate news, Western Digital warned that troubled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba will breach a joint venture contract if it sells its memory chip unit. Toshiba shares closed down 5%
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific announced that Chief Operating Officer Rupert Hogg would replace current Chief Executive Ivan Chu on May 1. The airline posted losses in March, the first time the company has reported annual losses since 2008. Cathay Pacific shares rose 0.6%
Stocks in Korea gained strength, after the Bank of Korea kept its base rate unchanged at 1.25% on Thursday. The Korean won strengthened against the greenback on Thursday, trading at 1,129.05, midway through the afternoon, climbing from an earlier low of 1,137.90.
Australian markets trudged lower, as major resources producers lost ground, with Rio Tinto down 4.4%, Fortescue down by 6.8% and BHP Billiton lower by 4%
The Australian dollar traded higher against the greenback at $0.7584, up from a previous low of $0.7515.
Earlier in the day, the Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed seasonally-adjusted employment in March rose by nearly 61,000 jobs from February, beating forecasts for 20,000.
CHINA
The CSI 300 in Shanghai recovered 5.11 points, or 0.2%, to 3,514.76
China's exports rose 16.4% in March, beating forecasts of 3.2% to reverse a decline of 1.3% in February, data showed Thursday.
The yuan strengthened against the dollar; the on-shore yuan traded at 6.8789 against the greenback, while the off-shore yuan fetched 6.8746.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex index regained 19 points, or 0.2%, to 9,836.68
The Kospi Index in Korea took on 19.7 points, or 0.9%, to 2,148.61
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index slumped 16.77 points, or 0.5%, to 3,169.24
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 slid 21.74 points, or 0.3%, to 7,229.80
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slouched 44.01 points, or 0.7%, to 5,889.95
