The Shanghai stock benchmark ended largely unchanged on Friday while Hong Kong shares inched higher, as investors held out hope for more fiscal support at home even as they awaited a fresh catalyst from overseas markets following a recent global bond sell-off.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index gained 310 points, or 1.2 percent, to 26,009 on turnover of HK$257.28 billion.

The tech index was 65 points, or 1.4 percent, up at 4,766 while the China Enterprises Index rose 86 points, or one percent, to 8,634.

On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended up 0.04 percent at 3,905 but lost 0.6 percent for the week.

The Shenzhen Component Index notched up 121 points, or 0.87 percent, to 14,094 while the ChiNext Index gained close to 50 points, or 1.43 percent, to end at 3,545.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei ended down 200 points, or 0.3 percent, for the day and about four percent for the week as uncertainty surrounding the Middle East conflict drove oil prices higher and fanned inflation ⁠concerns.

The broader Topix inched up seven points, or 0.2 percent, higher but still lost 3.1 percent for its worst showing since early March.

In Seoul, the Kospi closed up 60 points, or 0.88 percent, at 6,912 but fell 0.9 percent for the week as chipmakers in the tech-heavy benchmark tracked overnight gains in US peers.

Market participants will soon shift their attention to US Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh's speech at the central bank's Jackson Hole symposium next week for clues on how he plans to tackle still-elevated inflation.

That will come after the US Treasury's surprise bond buyback failed to quell lingering concerns about inflation and expanding government debt. (Reuters & Xinhua)


Edited by Aaron Tam