Most Asian markets closed lower Friday after paring early losses in thin trading volume before a U.S. holiday.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 60.08 points, or 0.6%, to end the week at 9,816.07
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index regained 25.35 points, or 0.1% to 18,203.40.
Asian markets had initially fallen in the wake of Thursday's losses in the U.S. which followed a dismal U.S. jobs report.
IG Markets institutional trader Chris Weston said there was no real inclination by investors to take big positions ahead of the U.S. holiday. "People are now waiting for the U.S. earnings period, which kicks off with Alcoa on Wednesday."
Shipping and commodities stocks were among the decliners in Asia.
In Tokyo, Mitsui O.S.K. Line ended down 3%, with oil plays Inpex and Japan Petroleum down 1.6% and 1.7% respectively and Nippon Steel 1.1% lower.
In Australia, Fortescue Minerals was down 4.1%, Woodside fell 0.6% and Macarthur Coal finished 3.0% lower.
BHP Billiton was down 2.5% after the miner agreed to sell its Yabulu nickel refinery in Queensland to companies owned by Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer. BHP will write down the carrying value of Yabulu by around $500 million U.S.
Qantas closed down 2.3%. The airline said it carried 2.8% fewer passengers in May compared with a year earlier, while revenue-passenger kilometers were down 3.9%.
In Seoul, KB Financial erased earlier losses to end flat, and Posco added 0.7%, while investors bought technology stocks on hopes for the upcoming earnings season, with Hynix Semiconductor adding 2.4%.
New listings were in the spotlight in Hong Kong where herbal shampoo manufacturer Bawang International closed at HK$3.03 in heavy trade, up from an initial price of HK$2.38. Coal trader China Qinfa rose to HK$2.68 from an IPO price of HK$2.52.
Taiwan's export-orientated technology firms were hit by the weak U.S data, but financial stocks gained after the Commercial Times cited the China Banking Regulatory Commission chairman as saying China intended to give a bigger share of its credit-card market to Taiwanese banks than it did to other foreign banks. Chip maker TSMC was down 0.2% but Chinatrust Financial was up 4.6%.
In currency markets the euro was down at $1.3990 U.S., from $1.4025 U.S. late in New York, and at 134.16 yen, from 134.45 yen. The U.S. dollar was at 95.89 yen, from 95.85 yen. Most Asian currencies tracked regional stock markets lower.
Spot gold was $2.70 higher at $931.50 U.S. a troy ounce, bouncing off its New York lows.
Elsewhere:
China’s Shanghai Composite Index picked up 44.78 points, or 1.4% to 3,327.14
Singapore’s Straits Times Index slipped 21.07 points, or 0.9%, to 2,299.75
South Korea’s Kospi index advanced 8.56 points, or 0.6%, to 1,420.04
Taiwan’s Taiex fell 2.13 points, or 0.03%, to 6,665.40
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index stumbled 6.68 points, or 0.2%, to 2,761.50
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 subtracted 49.10 points, or 1.3%, to 3,828.20
