Most indexes in Asia closed moderately higher on Friday as investors parsed through the release of manufacturing activity data from China.
Traders also digested the release of uninspiring U.S. data overnight.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index gained 45.23 points, or 0.2%, to 19,691.47
The Hang Seng Index lost 17.14 points, or 0.1%, to 27,953.16
In corporate news, Toshiba missed an Aug. 31 deadline to secure an agreement over the sale of its memory business. The company will reportedly continue talks with three parties over the deal. Toshiba shares closed up 1.6%.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Lotte will borrow $300 million U.S. to prop up Lotte Mart operations in China and pay off loans, Korea Herald reported Thursday. A number of Lotte stores in China have been closed due to supposed code violations after a rift developed between the two countries over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system.
Lotte Shopping shares closed down 5.3%, leading losses among other South Korean retail stocks: Lotte Himart closed 0.7% higher and Shinsegae declined 2.9%
Other market movers included shares of property developer Sunac Holdings, which fell 2.3% by late afternoon. That came despite the property developer announcing Thursday that first-half net profit surged 1,683.4%. Sunac shares had risen more than 4% earlier in the session.
In a Friday briefing, the company said it will invest in additional Dalian Wanda projects, Reuters reported. Sunac had originally been part of a deal to buy properties from Dalian Wanda. The latter changed the terms of the deal after increased scrutiny, with Sunac eventually taking a stake in 13 tourism projects.
Gambling stocks were also on a tear: Wynn Macau surged 6.4% SJM Holdings soared 4.7% and Galaxy Entertainment rose 3.9%. Casino revenues in Macau increased 20% to 22.7 billion patacas ($2.82 billion U.S.) in August despite being hit by two typhoons that month
South Korean data released on Thursday also gave investors plenty to study. Although manufacturing activity contracted in August, the Nikkei/Markit Purchasing Managers Index reading of 49.9 showed a move closer to the 50-mark that divides decline and growth.
Meanwhile, August exports rose 17.4%, compared with a year earlier and annual inflation in the month rose to its highest levels in five years.
The South Korean won got a lift from the data deluge, trading at 1,121.75 won to the dollar late afternoon local time, compared with levels around the 1,123 handle seen in the last session.
Against the yen, the U.S. dollar edged up in the afternoon to trade at 110.19 yen, above the 109.9 handle seen in the last session.
The Australian dollar — often sensitive to Chinese economic data — got a boost from the PMI beat, climbing as high as $0.7956 U.S. after the release, but later gave up gains to trade at $0.7930 U.S.
CHINA
The CSI 300 gained 8.45 points, or 0.2%, to 3,830.54
The Caixin China manufacturing PMI for August came in at a six-month high of 51.6, topping an analyst poll. The private survey had been expected to show a slight dip to 50.9 in August from 51.1 in July
The better-than-expected Caixin manufacturing PMI came a day after official numbers also came in above expectations at 51.7, reflecting a rise in Chinese manufacturing activity in August. Official services PMI on Thursday had shown a decline to 53.4, compared with 54.5 seen last month.
In other markets
Singapore markets were closed for public holiday
In Taiwan, the Taiex index tacked on 9.04 points, or 0.1%, to 10,594.82
In Korea, the Kospi index fell 5.5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,357.26
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 4.87 points, or 0.1%, to 7,821.98
In Australia, the ASX 200 grew 10.07 points, or 0.2%, to 5,724.59
