Asia-Pacific markets traded mostly lower on Friday, following overnight losses on Wall Street, as investors assessed monetary policy decisions from two key central banks.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 tumbled 520.64 points, or 1.8%, to 28,545.68.
The Bank of Japan dialed back emergency pandemic-funding on Friday, but it maintained its ultra-loose monetary policy and extended financial relief for small businesses, Reuters reported.
The BOJ maintained its short-term rate target at negative 0.1% and for the 10-year bond yields, the rate remained around 0%, in line with expectations, the news agency said.
The Japanese yen strengthened from above 114 earlier in the week to 113.60 against the U.S. dollar.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng fell 282.87 points, or 1.2%, to 23,192.63.
Hong Kong-listed shares of Chinese tech companies sold off sharply: Alibaba shares fell 3.7%, JD was down 3.8%, Meituan declined 5.3%, search engine giant Baidu tumbled 1.2% and Tencent slipped 2.7%.
The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7164, down some 0.25%.
CHINA
In China, the CSI 300 stepped back 79.97 points, or 1.6%, to 4,954.76
Meanwhile, state media reported Friday that China plans to change its laws to allow ride-hailing and food delivery workers to form unions.
Stateside, the United States on Thursday said it was imposing trade restrictions on more than 30 Chinese research institutes and entities over human rights violations and the alleged development of technologies, such as brain-control weapons, that undermine U.S. national security.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 26.85 points, or 0.2%, to 17,812.59
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index dipped 17.17 points, or 0.6%, to 3,017.73
In Korea, the Kospi index inched forward 11.32 points, or 0.4%, to 3,017.73
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 shed 59.59 points, or 0.5%, to 12,717.95
In Australia, the ASX 200 nosed ahead 8.31 points, or 0.1%, at 7,303.97.
