Asian stock markets close Friday down

By Tuba Ongun

ANKARA (AA) - Major Asian stock markets closed Friday on a negative note, still pricing in hawkish testimony from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

On Thursday, Powell said during his hearing at the Senate Banking Committee that the Fed will likely hike interest rates again by the end of the year.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, decreased by 1.78% to 3,516 at 1028GMT.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange lost 1.45% to 31,781.

Japan’s annual core inflation rate slowed slightly to 3.2% in May, from 3.4% in April, but still exceeding the Bank of Japan's 2% target.

Japanese manufacturing activity plunged into contraction in June as its flash Purchasing Managers' Index dropped to 49.8 from a seven-month high of 50.6 in May. The decline was driven by both lower output and new orders.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, dove 1.71% to finish at a two-week low of 18,889.

The Singapore index decreased 0.96% to 3,191, while India's Sensex benchmark fell 0.41% to end the day at 62,979.

The annual consumer inflation rate in Singapore eased to 5.1% in May from 5.7% in April, according to data released on Friday.

Chinese markets were closed on Friday to mark the Dragon Boat Festival.