Major markets in Asia were subdued on Friday as investors weighed the impact of an escalation in Middle East tensions.
Markets in Japan remained shuttered for holiday.
The Hang Seng index subtracted 92.02 points, or 0.3%, to close the day and week at 28,451.50, with shares of HSBC declining 0.6%.
Australian markets moved upward, with all the sectors in positive territory.
The Japanese yen traded at 108.08 against the U.S. dollar after seeing lows around 108.6 earlier. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6961 after slipping from levels above $0.700 yesterday.
Shares of oil companies regionally saw gains amid the Middle East tensions. Australia’s Santos added 2.31% while Beach Energy surged 3.17%. Hong Kong-listed shares of PetroChina soared 3.1%, and CNOOC also gained 1.9%.
Meanwhile, oil prices jumped in the afternoon of Asian trading hours, after Iraqi TV reported Friday that an Iranian military commander was killed in a Baghdad airstrike. The Pentagon later confirmed that he was killed by an U.S. drone strike.
International benchmark Brent crude futures soared 2.84% to $68.13 per barrel. U.S. crude futures added 2.71% to $62.84 per barrel.
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 lost 7.28 points, or 0.2%, to 4,144.96.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will be signing a first phase trade deal with China on Jan. 15 at the White House. The president also announced that he will be going to Beijing at a later date when phase two talks begin.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex nicked ahead 9.95 points, or 0.1%, to 12,110.43
In Korea, the Kospi index regained 1.29 points, or 0.1%, to 2,176.46
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index deleted 13.18 points, or 0.4%, to 3,238.82
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 returned with a gain of 101.24 points, or 0.9%, to 11,593.14
In Australia, the ASX 200 added 42.92 points, or 0.6%, to 6,733.50
