Asian shares end lower following Wall Street losses

Asian shares slipped on Friday following Wall Street losses overnight as investors were still wary over trade disputes between China and the US as well as between the US and Europe.

Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 0.9 per cent to 22,500.45 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged down 0.2 per cent to 29,257.41. Shanghai Composite Index added 0.2 per cent to 2,881.13.

South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3 per cent to 2,344.55 after losing more than 3.0 per cent this week. Australia's S&P-ASX 200 was flat at 6,229.30.

Stocks in Taiwan, Singapore and Southeast Asian countries were lower, reports AP.

US stock markets finished lower on Thursday. The S&P 500 index slid 17.56 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 2,749.76. The Dow fell 196.10 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 24,461.70.

The Nasdaq composite lost 68.56 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 7,712.95. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks declined 18.04 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 1,688.95.

Prices of oil rose ahead of OPEC meeting on Friday. Benchmark US crude gained 95 cents to $66.49 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, rose 96 cents to $74.01 per barrel in London. It lost 2.3 per cent to $73.05 a barrel on Thursday.

The dollar rose to 110.00 yen from 109.99 yen while the euro strengthened to $1.161 from 1.160.