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· Asian shares struggled to make headway on Friday as uncertainty over how much further the U.S. Federal Reserve would cut interest rates added to investors’ worries over slowing global growth.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged 0.3%higher and was up 1.0% for the week, on track to break a four-week losing streak.

“It’s going to be another wait-and-see day for traders ahead of Powell’s Jackson Hole speech. Investors are hoping for some soothing words from him,” said Hirokazu Kabeya, chief global strategist at Daiwa Securities.

· Japanese stocks rose on Friday, drawing support from a weaker yen, firmer Chinese and U.S. markets, and a jump in domestic defence shares as ties with South Korea sour further.

The Nikkei share average ended the day 0.4% higher at 20,710.91points. It was up 1.4% for the week.

The dollar edged higher versus the yen on Friday on expectations a pivotal speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell later in the day will reinforce that the U.S. central bank has not entered into an extended rate cutting cycle.

“The yen’s depreciation has underpinned the domestic equity market, which gained follow through support from advancing Chinese stocks,” said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management .

· China stocks closed higher on Friday and posted their best week in two months, as investors hoped for progress in Sino-U.S. trade negotiations as the United States still plans in-person talks next month.

The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.7% to 3,820.86, while the Shanghai Composite Index ended 0.5% higher at 2,897.43.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.5% early in the session, technology stocks leading gains with a 1% rise as nearly all sectors and major bourses traded in positive territory.

Reference: CNBC, Reuters