Asia-Pacific stocks slide as investors remain on edge over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Japan -2.23%. Japan jobs data for January: Unemployment rate 2.8% (expected 2.7%).
Japan moves further to ease the impact of rising gasoline prices, says will lift the subsidy ceiling for fuel wholesalers to 25 yen/litre for gasoline, diesel and kerosene to ease pain from rise in energy prices
China -0.95%.
Hong Kong -2.42%.
Australia -0.57%.
India -1.64%.
Overnight on Wall Street, Dow Jones shed 96.69 points to 33,794.66, S&P 500 dipped about 0.53% to 4,363.49, while Nasdaq dropped 1.56% to 13,537.94.
New Zealand Consumer Confidence Index hit a record low in February.
Ukrainian news: The nuclear complex is under attack from Russian forces and is on fire, 2 of 6 reactors at Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine have been safely shut down
Russian military attack Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
UK Times reports that Ukriane's Zelensky survives three assassination attempts in days.
US nonfarm payroll report due Friday - Goldman Sachs preview.
Investors also continued to monitor oil prices, which have surged in recent days.
In the afternoon of Asia trading hours on Friday, international benchmark Brent crude futures gained 1.63% to $112.26 per barrel. U.S. crude futures also advanced 1.96% to $109.78 per barrel.
Palladium prices rose on Friday to a 7-1/2-month peak on supply concerns, while safe-haven demand kept gold on course for a fourth weekly gain in five, after Russia attacked a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the largest of its kind in Europe.
Russia accounts for 40% of the global production of the auto-catalyst metal used by automakers in catalytic converters to curb emissions.
Meanwhile, spot gold rose 0.2% to $1,939.67 per ounce. U.S. gold futures climbed 0.3% to $1,941.10.
Spot silver shed 0.1% to $25.13 per ounce, while platinum rose 0.6% to $1,086.54.
Spot palladium was up 0.4% at $2,785.59, as of 0430 GMT.
U.S. futures lower. Dow Jones -0.36%; S&P 500 -0.37%; Nasdaq -0.40%.