Asia-Pacific stock markets opened lower on Friday, following the sluggish sentiment on Wall Street. In Australia, the ASX/S&P 200 fell 0.17%. In Japan, pressure was stronger: the Nikkei 225 fell 1.36% and the Topix fell 1.12%, as the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds rose to 1.94%, its highest level since July 2007. This increase in yields heightened market concerns about potentially higher borrowing costs.

In South Korea, the Kospi moved near the flatline, while the Kosdaq weakened 0.25%. In Hong Kong, Hang Seng futures indicated a slightly lower opening at around 25,900, compared to the previous close of 25,935.9. Investors in the region are also still awaiting the Reserve Bank of India's interest rate decision, which could provide new direction for regional sentiment.

In the US, Wall Street's overnight performance was also tepid. The S&P 500 edged up 0.11% to 6,857.12, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.22% to 23,505.14. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.07%, or 31.96 points, to 47,850.94. These subtle movements indicate global investors are still in a wait-and-see mood ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision next week, leading Asian markets to move cautiously from the start of the session. (az)

Source: Newsmaker.id