Back in Asia, futures pointed to a lower open for Japanese equities at the open. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago were down 0.62 percent at 23,340 compared to the index’s close on Thursday. Osaka futures traded at similar levels.
The Nikkei 225 had surged 1.68 percent on Thursday to snap a six-day losing streak.
Down Under, the S&P/ASX 200 edged down 0.13 percent in early trade.
On the earnings front, notable names due to report results include Sony, Honda Motor and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
In currencies, the dollar extended gains against the yen overnight to trade at 109.42 at 6:43 a.m. HK/SIN.
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of currencies, slid below the 89 handle to trade at 88.651. The move came as the euro rose to trade above the $1.25 level. The common currency stood at $1.2505 after rising as high as $1.2522 overnight.
Meanwhile, oil prices gained in the previous session, with markets focused on compliance with OPEC and Russia-led production cuts. U.S. crude futures rose 1.7 percent to settle at $65.80 per barrel and Brent crude gained 1.1 percent to settle at $69.65.
