Stock exchanges across the Asia-Pacific region registered losses on Friday as investors assessed the latest move by the Chinese central bank to maintain its one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) loan rate unchanged.
Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki pointed out that the country's economy was "no longer in deflation," marking a distinct departure from his previous remarks.
In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite lost 0.33% and the Shenzhen Composite dropped 0.29% at 3:27 am CET. Hong Kong's Hang Seng plummeted 1.75% and South Korean Kospi was down 1.04%. Japan's Nikkei slipped 0.16% and Australian S&P/ASX 200 slid 1.13%.
The dollar was up 0.13% against the Japanese yen, to sell at 148.5064 a minute later.
