ASIAN markets have closed mixed following another strong lead from Wall Street, where traders took heart from more upbeat US jobs numbers.
The yen was flat after Japanese MPs gave final approval to the government's nominees to take the helm at the Bank of Japan (BoJ), with expectations high that it will usher in more aggressive monetary easing.
Tokyo rose 1.45 per cent, or 179.76 points, to 12,560.95 - its highest level since September 2008. Sydney bounced back from three days of losses to register its biggest rise since July, adding 1.75 per cent, or 88 points, to close at 5,120.2.
Hong Kong was 0.38 per cent lower, losing 86.07 points to end at 22,533.11 while Shanghai closed up 0.36 per cent, or 8.12 points, at 2,278.40.
Seoul fell 0.78 per cent, or 15.63 points, to 1,986.50.
On Wall Street, traders welcomed data showing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week for the third week in a row, signalling continuing improvement in the jobs market.
The S&P 500, which includes all major segments of the US economy, climbed 0.56 per cent to end just short of its all-time high close set in October 2007.
And the Dow was up 0.58 per cent, breaking its all-time record for the eighth straight day. It was the Dow's 10th consecutive rise.
However, while the unemployment numbers were welcomed, the US dollar fell to Y96.08 in New York from Y96.40 in Asia earlier on Thursday.
In Tokyo on Friday the dollar fetched Y96.07.
The upper house of Japan's parliament gave the green light to Haruhiko Kuroda as BoJ governor, as well as to Kikuo Iwata and Hiroshi Nakaso as his deputies.
The men are expected to usher in a new era for the BoJ as Tokyo demands more action to boost the world's third-biggest economy, with Kuroda saying he will do all he can to achieve the bank's new two per cent inflation target.
Focus will now be on the bank's policy meeting next month to see what tools the new leadership will use to jumpstart the Japanese economy and drag it out of deflation.
The euro bought $US1.3026 and Y125.11 against $US1.3000 and Y124.91.
In Seoul, electronics giant Samsung fell 2.63 per cent after it unveiled its new Galaxy S4 smartphone in New York late on Thursday with a bigger screen and a new eye-tracking device.
However, Bae Seung-Young of Hyundai Securities told AFP: "It's not because the Galaxy S4 failed to meet expectations. It's just that investors feel technical smartphone upgrades are flattening out."
Oil prices rose, with New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April up 13 cents to $US93.16 a barrel in the afternoon, while Brent North Sea crude for May gained 24 cents to $US109.20.
Gold was at $US1,592.44 an ounce at 0815 GMT (1915 AEDT) compared with $US1,584.80 late on Thursday.
In other markets:
- Taipei fell 0.31 per cent, or 24.27 points, to 7,927.49.
Leading smartphone maker HTC shed 2.7 per cent to Tw$234.5 while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.96 per cent lower at Tw$103.0.
- Manila fell 0.60 per cent, or 40.11 points, to 6,654.60.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone dropped 0.55 per cent to 2,844 pesos while BDO Unibank fell 3.30 per cent to 88 pesos.
- Wellington rose 0.14 per cent, or 5.96 points, to 4,387.06.
Contact Energy was up 2.19 per cent, Ryman was up 1.3 per cent at NZ$4.78 while Trade Me added 0.9 per cent to NZ$4.74 and Kathmandu climbed 0.4 per cent to NZ$2.45.
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