Asian stocks looked set to end 2016 on an upbeat note, with the benchmark headed for its first annual gain in three years, while the dollar reversed earlier losses and oil was poised to record its biggest gains in seven years.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS advanced 0.5 percent on Friday, diverging from Wall Street, which posted slight declines overnight.
The Nikkei ended 0.2 percent lower at 19,114.37, the lowest closing level since Dec. 9. After trading in negative territory, the benchmark index turned positive in afternoon trade, with traders citing speculation that the Bank of Japan was buying exchange-traded funds to support the market.
The benchmark index added 0.4 percent for the year, posting a fifth straight year of gains, the longest annual winning streak since the late 1980s.
Chinese stocks rose slightly on Friday, the last trading day of 2016, but the blue-chip index ended the year more than 11 percent lower despite signs of resilience in the world's second-largest economy.
The Chinese market did find its footing after a deep plunge early in 2016. The two main market indexes finished the year more than 17 percent above a February trough.
On Friday, the CSI300 index rose 0.4 percent, to 3,309.99 points at the close, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.2 percent, to 3,103.40 points.
Reference: Reuters
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