· Asia shares slip on news U.S. to blacklist more Chinese firms
Asian shares slipped on Friday after Reuters reported that the United States is set to add dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s top chipmaker SMIC, to a trade blacklist later in the day.
Still, the prevalent underlying mood on global equities remained upbeat, as the prospect of a major U.S. coronavirus relief package meant investors were keen on picking up stocks and other risk-exposed assets.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.6% from Thursday’s record. Mainland Chinese shares fell 0.4% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1%.
· Nikkei ends lower on virus worries, but posts weekly gain
Japan's Nikkei share average ended lower on Friday on concerns over the risks that surging COVID-19 cases in Tokyo could pose to recovery prospects in the world's third-largest economy, but the index posted a weekly gain.
The benchmark Nikkei share average lost 0.16% to 26,763.39, while the broader Topix was nearly flat at 1,793.24.
The Nikkei and Topix posted weekly gains of 0.41% and 0.63%, respectively.
Stocks moved in narrow ranges in the afternoon as investors awaited the Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's press conference later in the day.
The Japanese capital Tokyo raised its COVID-19 alert level to the highest of four stages on Thursday as the number of new cases spiked to a record daily high of 822.
· China stocks end lower on fresh Sino-U.S. tensions
China stocks erased early gains to end lower on Friday, weighed down by fresh signs of tension between the world's two largest economies.
Sources told Reuters that the United States is set to add dozens of Chinese companies, including the country's top chipmaker SMIC , to a trade blacklist on Friday.
At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.29% at 3,394.90, while the blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.35%.
· European markets mostly lower as Brexit fears resurface
European markets were mostly lower on Friday morning as British and European leaders strike pessimistic tones about the prospect of agreeing to a post-Brexit trade deal.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 edged 0.2% lower in early trade, with travel and leisure stocks sliding 1.2% to lead losses while health care stocks bucked the trend to add 0.3%.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters
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