• Global stocks hit a record high on Friday and Asian markets rose to their best levels in more than two years as upbeat data on U.S. manufacturing and employment and buoyant European factory growth boosted investor optimism.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS gained 0.6 percent, while Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 1.6 percent, topping the psychologically important 20,000-point mark and taking the benchmark to its highest level since August 2015.
• Japan's Nikkei share average broke through the 20,000-point level for the first time since December 2015 on Friday as strong U.S. economic data and a weaker yen boosted investor confidence.
The Nikkei climbed 1.6 percent to 20,177.28 points, its highest close since mid-August 2015. For the week, it gained 2.5 percent.
• China stocks ended the week little changed on Friday, bucking a global equity rally as investors worried about tightening liquidity and conflicting signals on the health of the world's second-largest economy.
The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.3 percent to 3,486.51 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent to 3,105.54.
• Hong Kong stocks closed the week at a near two-year high, supported by an upbeat mood in global equity markets and continuous money inflows from China.
Both the Hang Seng index and the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index rose 0.4 percent, to 25,924.05 and 10,666.43 points, respectively.
Reference: Reuters,CNBC
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