INVESTING.COM – Asian equity markets were down across the board Friday, taking a breather from recent climbs and after the European Central Bank took a dovish stance on policy and its ongoing stimulus program.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.19% at mid-morning to 26,690, with shares still hovering near highs not seen in two years. The market opened on an upbeat note Friday but reatreated shortly after on profit taking. Hong Kong has risen for the last nine days.
China's markets gave up some recent gains, falling for the first time in four days on prifit taking. The Shanghai Composite Index as down 0.21% to 3,238. The Shenzhen Composite Index was flat, up 0.02% to 1848.
In Japan, the Nikkei dropped 0.30% to 20,084 after morning trade. The Bank of Japan kept monetary policy steady on Thursday and suggested a near-term change in the stance was unlikely, saying "Risks to the economy and price outlook are skewed to the downside". The Bank of Japan’s monetary policy statement and interest rate decision was expected to offer comment on the pace of asset buying at ¥80 trillion annually and possibly hint of tapering.
Breaking the downwards trend were Korea, where the Kospi 50 was up just 0.06% to 2,145 and Singapore's FTSE Straits Times Index, which gained 0.32% to 3,303.
The region's smaller markets were mixed.
Thailand's SET Index was up 0.21% to 1,578. In the Philippines, the PSEi Index in the Philippines was down 0.60% to 7,857 days after the country's central bank predicted the first current account deficit for the year since 2003. The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index was down 0.50% to 5,795.