Asian Markets End Week On A Weak Note

Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - Shares in Asian markets were mixed on Friday, led by commodity-related stocks, as dismal unemployment report dampened investor confidence.

The markets in the U.S. are closed today for the Independence Day holiday. Traders are hoping the stocks to resume next week on a positive note.

Oil gained pace towards $66-a-barrel mark as light sweet crude-oil futures for August delivery was moving slightly down by 7 cents at $69.06 a barrel in Globex electronic trading on Friday.

On Thursday, the front-month contract had moved up by $1.56, or 3.7 percent, to $66.73 a barrel in on the New York Mercantile Exchange overnight trading session. On June 11, oil rates hit a seven-month high of $73.23.

In currency trading, the yen changed hands at 95.90 yen per U.S. dollar in Asia on Friday, after it closed at 95.85 yen per dollar late Thursday in Tokyo.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 average moved down by 0.61 percent or 60.08 points 9,816.07 points led by retailer stocks.

Seven & I Holdings Co., the nation's largest retailer, slipped by 5 percent after the firm's profit plunged by 28 percent, Aeon Co. dropped by 4.4 percent and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., the country's biggest department- store operator, lost 4.9 percent in Tokyo.

Orix Corp., the nation's largest non-bank lender, advanced by as much as 7.1 percent on reports that it will sell 100 billion yen ($1 billion) in new stocks.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng finished slightly higher by 25.35 points or 0.14 percent to settle at 18,203.40 points.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index also moved down by 1.4 percent led by commodity-related stocks.

In the mining sector, BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), the world's biggest miner, moved down by 2.5 percent. Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., the nation's No. 3 iron ore producer, slipped by more than 4 percent in Sydney trading.

In China, the shares on the Shanghai Composite Index remained mostly flat late in the afternoon trading.

Elsewhere, South Korea's Kospi was down by 0.2 percent, Taiwan's benchmark Taiex index inched lower slightly. Singapore's Straits Times Index dipped by 1.1 percent.

India's Sensex index was trading in green, adding 1.7 percent in late afternoon trading at 14,913.05 points in Mumbai on Friday.