Japan's leading share index slipped back from an intraday record high on Thursday after the yen gained against the dollar, weighing on the outlook for exporters.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index shed 49.10 points, or 0.28 percent, to 17,458.30 while the benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 151.22 points, or 0.7 percent, to 20,669.83.
The recent strength in Tokyo stocks reflects the robust profits of firms amid Japan's long-running economic recovery, Economy Minister Hiroko Ota said Thursday.
Honda Motor Co. fell 2.04 percent to 4,790 yen (US$39.92), and Toyota Motor Corp. dropped 1.72 percent to 8,010 yen (US$66.75). Nippon Steel Corp. sheded 1.16 percent to 684 yen (US$5.70).
But office equipment maker Ricoh Co. jumped 5.18 percent to 2,540 yen (US$21.17) on the news that it is in the final stages of negotiations for IBM's digital printer business.
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: Thai shares ended 0.5 percent higher at 660.71 in thin trade, partly on actively-traded property and construction stocks.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares fell as local funds continued to take profit on blue chips after recent strong gains. The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite dropped 1.8 percent to 1,773.96.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares dropped, as profit-taking snapped a nine-day winning streak. Construction, plantation stocks bucked trend on foreign funds' buying interest, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index slipped 0.3 percent to 1,179.66.
MANILA: Philippine shares advanced for the sixth session on gains in blue chips Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Ayala Corp. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 30.44 points, or 0.9 percent, at 3,275.19.
MUMBAI: Indian shares rose, led by technology and steel counters, but dealers expect holidays to damp trading next week. The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock Sensitive Index, or Sensex, rose 172.26 points, or 1.2 percent, to 14,151.62.
SEOUL: South Korean shares closed flat, erasing early gains as telecom stocks extended losses and Hyundai Motor lost ground after announcing its fourth-quarter results. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 0.70 point, or 0.05 percent, to 1,382.36.
SHANGHAI: Chinese stocks tumbled, with the key Shanghai Composite Index losing 4 percent in its biggest one-day decline in more than six months. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 4 percent to 2,857.36. The Shenzhen Composite Index fell 4.3 percent to 675.78.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's shares dropped on profit-taking across the board after two record closing highs this week, but the pullback may be temporary ahead of expected strong quarterly earnings, analysts said. The Strait Times Index fell 41.61 points, or 1.3 percent, to 3,108.63.
SYDNEY: Australian stocks rose modestly to reach a fresh record high, led by gains in mining shares, ahead of a long weekend and the corporate earnings season. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closed 1.1 points, or less than 0.1 percent, higher at 5,769.9.
TAIPEI: Taiwanese shares fell moderately as retail investors took profits in food stocks. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange fell 11.77 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,923.77.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand stocks closed marginally lower, unmoved by a central bank decision to hold its interest rate steady at 7.25 percent.The benchmark NZX-50 index dropped 2.6 points to 4,135.56.
With files from wire services
