In Asian Equity Markets indices were moderately lower on the last day of the trading week amid a backdrop of global trade-related developments and political news out of Washington. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gave up earlier gains to slip 0.66 percent and the broader Topix was off by 0.47 percent. Among major sectors, automakers came under pressure while technology names traded mixed. Meanwhile, in Seoul, the Kospi edged down 0.4 percent as declines in heavyweight tech names dragged the index lower despite gains in financials and retailers. Manufacturing stocks were mixed. Down Under, the S&P/ASX 200 bucked the trend to edge up by 0.4 percent, with all sectors gaining except financials and gold producers.

In Currency Markets the US dollar fell versus the yen on Friday, after a report that U.S. President Donald Trump would remove his national security adviser added to concerns about recent White House personnel changes and what that meant for policy. Trump has decided to replace his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. The dollar was 0.4 percent lower at 105.940 yen after briefly touching 106.380. The greenback was down about 0.8 percent on the week against the safe haven yen, which was boosted earlier as a political scandal engulfed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, casting doubts on the sustainability of his economic stimulus policies.

In Commodities Markets oil prices were set to fall this week, with both benchmarks dropping slightly on Friday, on concerns among investors about rising supply from the U.S. and other nations threatening to undermine efforts by OPEC and other producers to tighten the market. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil futures for April delivery fell 3 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $61.16 a barrel, after settling up 23 cents on Thursday. WTI is set to fall 1.4 percent this week, reversing the previous week’s 1.3 percent gain. Brent crude futures trading in London fell 7 cents to $65.05 a barrel after settling up 23 cents. Brent is down 0.7 percent for the week.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 ended slightly lower on Thursday after a report that U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller had issued a subpoena for documents related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s businesses offset strong jobs and manufacturing data. The Dow pared some gains but still ended higher for the first time in four days. The S&P 500 lost a marginally 0.08 percent, to 2,747.33 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.2 percent, to 7,481.74. The S&P industrial index, however, rose 0.3 percent, leading all sectors, and posted its first session of gains in four days as worries of a trade war eased. Caterpillar was up 1.3 percent.

In Bond Markets Japanese government bond prices edged up on Friday, supported by the Bank of Japan’s regular debt-buying operation and struggling equities. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield fell half a basis point to 0.035 percent and the 40-year yield also declined half a basis point, to 0.890 percent. The BOJ on Friday offered to buy 260 billion yen ($2.45 billion) of 10- to 40-year JGBs as part of its regular debt-purchasing operation. The 10-year JGB yield was confined to a tight 0.035 to 0.045 percent range this week, as much of the support stemming from a rise in perceived global trade and geopolitical risks was offset by concerns towards a domestic political scandal engulfing Japan’s prime minister.