The Asian regional index fluctuated between gains and losses on a day of low trading volumes. However, the benchmark is on its way to closing which would not jeopardize the final result of a second straight week of increases. Investors are awaiting data on the US employment front. According to the estimates of a panel of economists interviewed by Bloomberg, non-farm payrolls will show the largest increase since last November.
The start was marked by some weakness: at 9:36am the MSCI Asia Pacific slipped 0,1% to 139.04 in Hong Kong. The measure finished the day with the seventh consecutive increase on Thursday, making it the biggest gain this year, after a report indicated a stronger-than-expected growth forecast for US jobs in March. The index was up 1,7% on Thursday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 2,3%. Today, however, the Hang Seng lost 0,4 percent. Also today in the morning the Topix fell by 0,1%, trimming the weekly gains to 2,4 percent. Volumes were 20% lower than the 30-day average. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was also down 0,1% on volume down 37%, while South Korea's Kospi fell 0,2%.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/asian-stocks-decline-before-u-s-employment-report.html
