By Aysu Bicer
ANKARA (AA) - Stock markets in Asia closed Friday in red as investors focused on key US inflation data that could set a direction for Federal Reserve rates.
Analysts said Friday's data may affect the Fed's asset purchase rate and interest rate hikes, and warned investors that volatility in asset prices may increase.
The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, fell 36.76 points, or 0.97%, to close at around 3,770 points.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange was down by 287.70 points, or 1%, to 28,437.
The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, fell 259.14 points, or 1.07%, to 23,995.
China’s Shanghai stock exchange was down by 6.69 points, or 0.18%, to 3,666, while the Indian Sensex benchmark was down 20.46 points, or 0.03%, to close at 58,786 points.
Chinese real estate giants Evergrande and Kaisa went into default after failing to pay their debts, while China's Central Bank Chairman Yi Gang stated that the situation should be evaluated as a market reality.
As the yuan continues to gain against the dollar, the Central Bank of China increased the FX reserve requirement ratio by 200 basis points to 9% on Thursday.
The Singapore index also fell by 6.84 points, or 0.22%, to 3,135.