Asian markets were making moderate gains Friday, ahead of a much-anticipated U.S. labor report, with most regional bourses looking set to end the week with solid gains.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 dumped 204.01 points, or 1.5%, to 13,860.51. The Nikkei gained 3.5% over last Friday and is poised to record its best week since early July, helped by a yen that has weakened throughout the week.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 23.25 points, or 0.1%, to 22,621.22. Hang Seng China Enterprises rose 5.2% this week amid further signs of economic recovery in China — data showed an improvement in manufacturing activity.
The dollar fell below the ¥100 mark early in the session, a level breached for the first time since late July on Thursday after stocks in Tokyo had stopped trading. The dollar was last at ¥99.88, compared with ¥100.11 late Thursday in New York.
NTT DoCoMo Inc. rose in Tokyo, up 0.6%, after a report said that the company will start to sell Apple’s iPhone this fall — a product that its major competitors already offer.
In other markets;
The Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 picked up 16.04 points, or 0.7%, to 2,357.78
The Taiex Index in Taiwan docked 4.90 points, or 0.1%, to 8,164.20
Korea’s Kospi Index eked ahead 3.66 points, or 0.2%, to 1,955.31
The Singapore Straits Times Index gained 8.90 points, or 0.3%, to 3,048.35
In New Zealand, the Exchange 50 Gross Index fell 7.17 points, or 0.2%, to 4,597.18
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 2.48 points, or 0.1%, to 5,144.99
