Asian stock markets were mixed Friday, with overnight gains on Wall Street giving a lift to financial shares such as Macquarie Group in Australia, HSBC Holdings and Bank of Communications in Hong Kong and DBS Group Holdings in Singapore.
Japan's Nikkei lost 0.7 percent to close at 13,497.2 while the Hang Seng gained 2.9 percent to close at 24,123.6.
In Tokyo, banks were in focus after the week's revelations of widening subprime losses. Megabanks Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group both reported on Thursday wider-than-expected losses due to the U.S. loan crisis.
Mizuho's shares fell 5 percent and MUFG dropped 3.7 percent.
Real estate companies tumbled on worries over Japan's stuttering economy. Mitsubishi Estate Co. dropped 4.43 percent. Mitsui Fudosan Co. fell 2.26 percent.
Elsewhere:
New Zealand's NZX 50 index ended 1% higher to 3,708.13.
Taiwan's Weighted index advanced 2% to 7,673.99.
South Korea's Kospi finished 0.6% higher at 1,634.53, after dropping as low as 1,619.65 earlier in the day.
India's Sensitive Index, or Sensex, rose 0.7% to 17,763.78.
Singapore's Straits Times index rose 0.5% to 3,000.63, having withstood volatility in early trading.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 surged 3.4% to 5,842.90, boosted by shares of mining giants as well as financials.
with files from other services
