Stocks fell in Japan and Australia on Friday, with most other major Asian markets closed for the Lunar New Year holidays.
Nikkei Iapan 225 NIK,
which was closed Thursday for a public holiday, slipped 0.3%. S&P / ASX 200 XJO Australia,
slipped 0.5% after the state of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, suspended coronavirus locking for at least five days, starting Saturday. The new restrictions were announced following an outbreak of COVID-19 at a quarantine hotel.
Other Asian markets, including Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, were closed for the holidays. Chinese markets will open next Thursday, and Hong Kong markets will open on Tuesday.
In energy markets, the U.S. crude oil marked CLH21,
slipped to $ 57.79 a barrel in electronic commerce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude BRNJ21,
the global benchmark, reduced to $ 60.72 a barrel in London.
The USDJPY dollar,
little changed at 104.82 yen.