Asia Trades Mixed, Breaking Ranks with Wall St.

Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday, breaking ranks with Wall Street, with investors assessing economic data from Japan.

In Japan, the Nikkei deleted 110.32 points, or 0.3%, to 42,718.47.

The Tokyo core CPI, which strips out fresh food but includes energy, climbed 2.5% from a year earlier, matching Reuters’ economists’ forecasts, and easing from July’s 2.9% increase. The figure, however, remained above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target.

Japan’s unemployment rate also eased to 2.3% in July, down from 2.5% the previous month.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng recovered 32.98 points, or 0.7%, to 25,077.62.

Korean markets faltered, after South Korea’s ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee was reportedly indicted over corruption and bribery charges.

Kim is the wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office and arrested earlier this year for his short-lived declaration of martial law.

The South Korean won weakened 0.15% to 1,387.38 against the dollar.

In other markets

In Shanghai, the CSI 300 gained 32.98 points, or 0.7%, to 4,496.76.

In Singapore, the Straits Times index added 15.92 points, or 0.4%, to 4,269.70.

In Korea, the Kospi ditched 10.31 points, or 0.3%, to 3,186.01.

In Taiwan, the Taiex index slid 3.35 points to 24,233.10.

In New Zealand, the NZX 50 moved upward 27.65 points, or 0.2%, to 12,930.73

In Australia, the ASX 200 slid 6.89 points, or 0.1%, to 8,973.08.