Hong Kong stocks closed higher on Friday, while Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower in mixed trading, amid global cautious sentiment, said Wang Ying, a market analyst for China Global Television Network.
Hong Kong's stock market ended higher Friday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 0.38 percent to close at 24,951.88 points.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index gained 0.76 percent to end at 8,453.77 points, and the Hang Seng Tech Index inched up 0.35 percent to end at 4,778.01 points.
"The Hang Seng index came off its lows in Friday's afternoon's trade as the market was also boosted by strong industrial profits. The Hang Seng index added 0.38 percent at the close. The market sentiment was boosted, though the market is still under pressure from Wall Street's decline. Shares of pharmaceuticals, automobiles and consumption sectors posted a strong performance today. In focus, the Hang Seng Consumer index, as of March 20, 2026, has increased by 2.3 percent year to date, outperforming the 2.5 percent decline in the Hang Seng Composite index. The index reflects the overall performance of the top 50 companies listed in Hong Kong that provide manufacturing and services related to daily consumption. Many well-known brands such as Popmart, Anta Sports and Mengniu Dairy are all the top 10 constituent stocks of the index," she said.
Tokyo stocks closed mixed Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei index briefly turning positive after shedding more than two percent, as uncertainty over Middle East ceasefire negotiations was trimmed by dividend-driven buying before the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 230.58 points, or 0.43 percent, from Thursday at 53,373.07.
"Japan's economy remains highly exposed to spikes in crude oil prices due to its heavy reliance on imported energy. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz weighs heavily on Japan, which gets around 90 percent of its oil shipments via the passage. Investors were still very cautious about the market's reactions. Japan's Nikkei 225 index was 0.4 percent lower at the close today, after sliding as much as 2 percent earlier in the session. The main decline came from cables and components manufacturer Furukawa Electric, which was down 4.1 percent after a three-day winning streak. Air conditioning systems leader Daikin Industries slumped 5.24 percent and Sumitomo Electric lost 4.1 percent as well. Artificial Intelligence-related stocks were also trading down, as chip-testing equipment maker Advantest fell 3.9 percent to drag the Nikkei the most," Wang said.
Hong Kong, Tokyo stocks end mixed Friday amid global cautious sentiment
