Asia-Pacific markets mixed on Friday, a negative session on Wall Street Thursday limited the gain as traders cautiously digested the latest U.S. economic data amid concerns over President Trump's tariffs. Markets are also bracing for the April 2 deadline for Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on nations that have levied duties on US goods, adding to global trade concerns. Japan ( NKY:IND ) fell 0.08% to 37,764, while the broader Topix Index rose 0.4% to 2,807 in post-holiday trade on Friday. The Japanese yen slipped to around 149 per dollar on Friday, snapping a two-day advance as investors reacted to the latest inflation figures. Japan’s core inflation rate slowed to 3% in February from 3.2% in January but still exceeded forecasts of 2.9%. This marked the second consecutive month that inflation surpassed expectations. China ( SHCOMP ) fell 1.15% to around 3,400, while the Shenzhen Component dropped 0.6% to 10,810 on Friday, marking a third consecutive session of losses as investors engaged in profit-taking, and the offshore yuan depreciated past 7.25 per dollar on Friday, hitting its lowest level in over a week Hong Kong ( HSI ) fell 2.23% to 23,929 in Friday morning trade, marking their second straight session of decline as all sectors retreated. India ( SENSEX ) rose 0.68% to 76,655 in Friday's morning session, gaining for the fifth straight session amid almost broad sector gains led by the media and realty sector. Australia ( AS51 ) rose 0.17% to around 7,925 on Friday, extending gains from the previous session, with heavyweight retailers leading the advance. The Australian dollar weakened past $0.63 on Friday, sliding for the fourth straight session, as caution dominated sentiment amid rising global economic and trade concerns. In the U.S., on Thursday, all three major indexes ended lower giving back some of the prior session’s gains as investors reassessed economic risks and the Fed’s response to potential inflation and slowing growth. U.S. stock futures edged higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 on track to snap a four-week losing streak: Dow -0.08% ; S&P 500 -0.08% ; Nasdaq -0.07% . Meanwhile, OPEC+ announced plans of output cuts for seven members, reducing 189,000–435,000 bpd monthly until June 2026. Currencies: ( JPY:USD ), ( CNY:USD ), ( AUD:USD ), ( INR:USD ), ( HKD:USD ), ( NZD:USD ). More on Asia: Japan’s core inflation rate slows to 3% in February, exceeds forecast; food prices slow slightly People’s Bank of China keeps lending rates unchanged, in line with expectations Australia's Feb unemployment rate remains unchanged at 4.1%, aligning with expectations Japan’s trade balance swung to surplus in February, driven by strong exports Bank of Japan keeps interest rates unchanged at 0.5%, as widely expected
