05:51 AM EST, 12/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets turned in a choppy Friday, as China-exposed exchanges rose on hopes for greater stimulus from Beijing, while other markets were restricted ahead of the pending US jobs report and after overnight declines on Wall Street.

Hong Kong and Shanghai gained while Tokyo finished in the red. Most other regional exchanges were modestly lower.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower and slipped to the close, finishing off 0.8% as traders booked profits after four trading days in the green, invested cautiously ahead of the November jobs report from Washington.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 304.43 to 39,091.77, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 119 to 102.

Leading the upside was Mitsubishi Motors, up 4.2%, while semiconductor manufacturing equipment-maker Disco fell 4.4%.

In economic news, household spending in Japan in October fell a real 1.3% from a year earlier, dropping for the third straight month, reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

In addition, real wages paid in Japan in October were flat on year, reported the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly and rose to the close, amid gathering investor optimism that Beijing next week will develop stronger economic stimulus policies.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 305.41 to 19,865.85 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 72 to eight. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 2.2% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 1.2%.

Leading the upside was Wuxi AppTec, gaining 9.2%, while China Hongqiao declined 2%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 1.1% to 3,404.08.

In economic news, the mainland China's central economic work conference, with President Xi Jinping and top policymakers, will convene next week to plot economic policies for 2025, reported the South China Morning Post.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 0.6%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.3%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.6%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.7%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.1%.

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