Asian stocks mostly down despite Wall St record

Shanghai and Tokyo shares were hit by profit-taking Friday but most other Asian markets rose after a positive US lead as the Nasdaq broke a 15-year-old record high.

The euro advanced ahead of a eurozone meeting on Greece's debt crisis, while oil prices edged down after another rally that has been fuelled by worries about unrest in Yemen.

Tokyo, which hit a 15-year high Thursday after a three-day rally, slipped 0.83 percent. The index lost 167.61 points to end at 20,020.04, with a stronger yen also hitting exporters.

Shanghai gave back 0.47 percent, or 20.82 points, to 4,393.69, and Seoul fell 0.63 percent, or 13.61 points, to close at 2,159.80.

However, Sydney rallied 1.51 percent, or 88.53 points, to 5,933.3 as energy firms were helped by higher oil prices.

And Hong Kong jumped 233.28 points to 28,060.98 -- the first time it has ended above 20,000 since December 2007 -- boosted by ongoing hopes for more stimulus to boost the Chinese economy.

With few catalysts in Asia, investors tracked their US counterparts, where the tech-heavy Nasdaq passed its previous record high set at the peak of the dot-com boom.

The index added 0.42 percent to finish at 5,056.06, finally making up the nearly 4,000 points lost in a stunning crash that followed the previous closing high set on March 10, 2000.

The Dow gained 0.11 percent and the S&P added 0.24 percent.

Thursday's advances came despite official data showing fresh claims for US unemployment insurance benefits edged up marginally, while sales of new homes plunged in March after a sharp rise in February.

The figures will further muddy the waters for the Federal Reserve as it debates when to hike record-low interest rates.

- Greece talks in view -

On forex markets the dollar eased to 119.29 yen from 119.55 yen in New York late Thursday as expectations for an early summer hike narrow following several below-par US readings lately.

The euro bought $1.0885 and 129.87 yen against $1.0823 and 129.39 yen in US trade.

The single currency is also well up from the $1.0703 and 128.28 yen in Tokyo earlier Thursday ahead of the meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Latvia's capital Riga later in the day to talk about Greece.

The Eurogroup meeting comes with Athens running out of cash and struggling to reach a bailout reform deal with its creditors that will unlock billions of euros to service its debts to avert a default and likely exit from the eurozone.

However, Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said that while there was optimism an agreement could be reached "in reality the rebound in (the euro) reflects short covering ahead of the meeting".

Oil prices dipped on profit-taking after sharp gains Thursday that came as a Saudi Arabia-led coalition renewed air strikes against rebels in Yemen.

While Yemen is not a major producer, it sits on a key strategic entry point into the Red Sea through which some 4.7 million barrels of oil pass each day.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 28 cents to $57.46 while Brent dipped 19 cents to $64.66.

On Thursday WTI gained $1.58 and Brent advanced $2.12.

Gold fetched $1,191.95 against $1,189.92 late Thursday.

In other markets:

-- Singapore gained 0.29 percent, or 10.25 points, to 3,513.00.

United Overseas Bank climbed 1.27 percent to Sg$24.70 while real estate developer CapitaLand advanced 1.36 percent to Sg$3.72.

-- Kuala Lumpur gained 16.50 points, or 0.89 percent, to 1,862.58.

Public Bank rose 0.61 percent to 19.70 ringgit, Sime Darby went up 0.32 percent to 9.28 while Telekom Malaysia lost 0.53 percent to 7.46 ringgit.

-- Bangkok added 0.69 percent, or 10.62 points, to 1,555.46.

Oil company PTT climbed 3.19 percent to 356.00 baht, while Airports of Thailand rose 1.37 percent to 295.00 baht.

-- Jakarta fell 0.02 percent, or 0.85 points, to 5,435.35.

Palm oil producer Astra Agro Lestari slumped 4.76 percent to 22,000 rupiah, while cement maker Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa rose 0.54 percent to 23,325 rupiah.

-- Taipei added 1.18 percent, or 115.79 points, to 9,913.28.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. jumped 3.74 percent to Tw$152.5 while Hon Hai was 1.39 percent higher at Tw$94.6.

-- Manila rose 0.70 percent, or 55.20 points, to 7,947.25.

Top-traded Ayala land was down 0.25 percent to 39.60 pesos, SM Prime Holdings rose 1.22 percent to 19.84 pesos, while Metrobank was up 0.21 percent at 97.20 pesos.

-- Wellington rose 0.13 percent, or 7.45 points, to 5,765.36.

Warehouse Group was up 0.71 percent at NZ$2.82 and Trade Me gained 2.42 percent to NZ$3.81.

-- Mumbai fell 1.07 percent, or 297.08 points, to 27,437.94 points.

IT major Infosys slid 5.95 percent to 1,996.25 rupees, while utility major Oil & Natural Gas Corporation rose 2.60 percent to 315.80 rupees.