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Asian shares in muted Friday trade Asian shares in muted Friday trade
(about 7 hours later)
Shares across Asia traded mixed on Friday, failing to pick up the positive lead from Wall Street.Shares across Asia traded mixed on Friday, failing to pick up the positive lead from Wall Street.
US markets had finished higher on expectations that February job figures out later on Friday would show a strong pace of growth. US markets had finished higher on expectations that job figures for February, due out later on Friday, will show a strong pace of growth.
Asia's biggest market, Japan's Nikkei 225 remained flat at 16,928.72 points. Asia's biggest market, Japan's Nikkei 225 closed 0.3% higher at 17,014.78.
Shares in the embattled electronics firm Sharp rose 10% on new reports it was close to a deal with Taiwan's Foxconn. Shares in the embattled electronics firm Sharp rose 9.4% on new reports it was close to a deal with Taiwan's Foxconn.
The jump came after the Nikkei business daily reported that Sharp and Foxconn parent company Hon Hai Precision Industry were continuing talks with both sides seeking to conclude a takeover deal by Monday. The jump came after the Nikkei business daily reported that Sharp and Foxconn parent company Hon Hai Precision Industry were continuing talks, with both sides seeking to conclude a takeover deal by Monday.
Earlier talks had been delayed when Foxconn said it had received new information from Sharp which needed to be clarified.Earlier talks had been delayed when Foxconn said it had received new information from Sharp which needed to be clarified.
BHP downgradeBHP downgrade
In Australia, the ASX 200 traded flat at 5,085.10 points. In Australia, the ASX 200 index finished the day flat at 5,090.00.
Shares of commodity giant BHP Billiton rose by 1.6% with investors unfazed by a downgrade by credit ratings agency Moody's. Shares of commodity giant BHP Billiton rose 2.4%, with investors unfazed by a downgrade by credit ratings agency Moody's.
Moody's cut its ratings of the Anglo-Australian firm to "A3" from "A1", citing the deterioration in the company's earnings and cash flow as reasons.Moody's cut its ratings of the Anglo-Australian firm to "A3" from "A1", citing the deterioration in the company's earnings and cash flow as reasons.
The ratings agency also said it expected low commodity prices and softer demand to continue to affect BHP.The ratings agency also said it expected low commodity prices and softer demand to continue to affect BHP.
Samsonite bags TumiSamsonite bags Tumi
Chinese shares were equally lacklustre with the mainland benchmark Shanghai Composite trading remaining unchanged at 2,855.8 points. Chinese shares were equally lacklustre with the mainland benchmark Shanghai Composite index trading 0.4% higher at 2,872.99.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng was higher by 0.6% at 20,057.67 points. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.7% at 20,083.26.
Samsonite shares jumped 5.9% as the company confirmed that it was taking over US luxury rival Tumi. Samsonite shares jumped 3.4% as the company confirmed that it was taking over US luxury rival Tumi.
In South Korea, the Kospi index fell slightly by 0.3% to 1,952.04 points. In South Korea, the Kospi index finished down 0.1% at 1,955.63.