Losses for auto makers and computer-chip producers helped send Tokyo and Seoul into the loss column on Friday, although Chinese and Australian equity markets managed to post gains
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 average faded 18.22 points, or 0.2%, to end the week at 8,963.72
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index regained 24.87 points, or 0.1%, to 19,620.
Semiconductor firms lost ground amid speculation that weak dynamic random-access memory prices will dent profits, with Korea’s Hynix Semiconductor Inc. tumbling 9.6%, and Japan’s Elpida Memory Inc. down 5.8%.
Auto makers were also weak, with Honda Motor Co. down 1.3%, and Toyota Motor Co. lower by 1.1% in Japan, while Hyundai Motor Co. lost 4.6%, and Kia Motors Corp. fell 5.3% in South Korea.
Following a positive lead from U.S. financials, Macquarie Group Ltd, advanced 2.7% in Sydney, and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. rose 0.9% in Tokyo.
On the other hand, many Hong Kong-listed banking shares fell, with uncertainty over mainland Chinese monetary policy hanging over the sector.
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. ell 1.4%, and China Construction Bank lost 1.3%. Their Shanghai-listed closed down 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively.
However, HSBC Holdings PLC managed to hold on to gains, ending up 0.2%.
With the U.S. jobs data soothing some worries about the American economy and future demand trends for the time being, some resource stocks made solid advances.
Japanese energy major Inpex Corp. rose 2.4%, while Australia’s Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. ended with a 2.6% gain.
Canon Inc., jumped 5.6% in Tokyo after announcing a share buy-back plan, and Hong Kong-listed Li & Fung Ltd. surged 7% after saying it’s on track to meet its three-year targets, despite also reporting a 15% first-half profit drop.
News Corp. shares rallied 6.2% in Sydney, as Australian investors reacted to a 16.8% leap in the media major’s U.S. shares. Shares of Sydney-listed BlueScope Steel Ltd. fell 7.7%, after the steel mill said that it will write down the value of some of its assets.
In other markets;
Shanghai’s CSI 300 Index improved 8.44 points, or 0.3%, to 2,875.36
Korea’s Kospi Index slumped 24.13 points, or 1.3%, to 1,793.31
Taiwan’s Taiex Index subsided 82.07 points, or 1.1%, to 7,637.02
Singapore’s Straits Times Index gathered 54.37 points, or 1.9%, to 2,850.59
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index added 7.88 points, or 0.3%, to 3,216.50
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index moved up 31.80 points, or 0.8%, to 4,172.60
