Asia-Pacific markets mostly lost ground on Friday, led by losses in South Korean stocks after its industrial production declined for a second straight month in October.
The country’s industrial production growth fell 0.3% last month compared to September when growth had also fallen by 0.3% month on month.
Industrial production saw a 2.3% increase year on year in October, marking a reversal from the 1.3% fall in September.
The country’s benchmark index, Kospi, fell 1.95% to close at 2,455.91, leading losses in Asia, while the small-cap Kosdaq dropped 2.33%, ending at 678.19.
Investors also assessed November inflation numbers from Japan’s capital of Tokyo, which saw its headline inflation rate come in at 2.6%, a rebound from the 1.8% seen in October.
Core inflation, which excludes costs of fresh food, rose to 2.2% compared with Reuters poll expectations of 2.1%.Tokyo’s inflation numbers are widely considered to be a leading indicator of nationwide trends.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.37% after the inflation data release to end at 38,208.03, while the broad-based Topix fell 0.24% to 2,680.71.
The yen appreciated to its strongest in five weeks against the dollar, slipping under the 150 mark.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 0.2% in its last hour of trade, while mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 1.14% to close at 3,916.58.
The moves come as a Reuters poll said China’s home prices are expected to fall at a slower pace this year and next, and stabilize in 2026, as support measures are starting to take effect.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.1%, closing at 8,436.2.