Asian markets slip as European debt in focus

The euro was supported by comments from International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and Japan Finance Minister Jun Azumi who both said the IMF would achieve its goal of raising enough cash for a firewall against future debt crises.

Tokyo fell 0.28 percent, or 27.02 points, to 9,561.36, Seoul shed 1.26 percent, or 25.21 points, to 1,974.65 and Sydney ended flat, edging up 3.8 points to 4,366.5.

Hong Kong ended flat, adding 15.63 points to 21,010.64 while Shanghai closed 1.19 percent, or 28.23 points, higher at 2,406.86 on hopes China will announce monetary easing measures soon after comments to that effect from a central bank official this week.

Spain's Treasury on Thursday raised a higher-than-expected 2.541 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in its issue of two and 10-year bonds at rates below the key six percent that raises alarm bells for investors.

The results came after Madrid on Tuesday enjoyed an above-target auction of 12 and 18-month bonds.

With the eurozone debt crisis returning to the fore the focus is now on Spain, which has a gaping public deficit and unemployment above 20 percent, with fears it could follow Greece, Portugal and Ireland into asking for a bailout.

The auction came as world finance leaders began a two-day meeting in Washington that will discuss bolstering an International Monetary Fund (IMF) firewall against future crises like the one in Greece last year.

Earlier this week, Japan said it would pledge $60 billion after Lagarde called for a global effort to raise $400 billion. She had earlier targeted $500 billion but it was lowered on easing concerns over the global economy.

Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Poland are among the nations that have pledged billions of dollars.

Lagarde said in Washington that Spain did not need an IMF rescue as long as Europe keeps working to help the government with its reforms.

"There is no such need at the moment as I understand," she told Bloomberg Television.

And referring to the emergency fund target, Largarde said "we expect our firepower to be significantly increased" after the meeting, while Azumi later echoed her sentiment.

The comments provided support to the euro, which held on to gains made against the dollar and yen after the latest Spanish bond sale.

In morning Asian trade, the single currency bought $1.3157 and 107.55 yen, compared with $1.3134 and 107.19 yen in New York late Thursday.

The dollar was changing hands at 81.74 yen, slightly down from 81.60 yen.

In the United States, new claims for unemployment benefits only inched lower last week, data showed, as several weeks of confidence-building falls appear to be coming to an end.

The Labor Department also said that the number of people claiming in the previous week was higher than previously reported.

Also, mid-Atlantic manufacturers saw business conditions this month decline more than anticipated, while sales of previously owned homes fell in March for the second consecutive month and missed expectations.

"While stronger-than-expected US data has been the common theme in recent times, a general lack of continuity continues to plague the market," said Chris Gore, Melbourne-based currency analyst at GO Markets, in a note.

And he added that there was "little in the way of solid evidence to suggest the economy is on a sustained upside trajectory", according to Dow Jones Newswires.

The Dow shed 0.53 percent, the broader S&P 500 was down 0.59 percent and the Nasdaq fell 0.79 percent.

On oil markets, New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in May, was up 84 cents to $103.11 per barrel while Brent North Sea crude for June gained 35 cents to $118.35 in Europe.

Gold was at $1,643.62 an ounce at 1035 GMT, compared with $1,640.00 late Thursday.

In other markets:

-- Singapore closed down 0.46 percent, or 13.73 points, at 2,994.48.

United Overseas Bank shed 0.32 percent to Sg$18.49 while commodities firm Olam International was down 1.70 percent at Sg$2.31.

-- Taipei closed 1.52 percent, or 115.54 points, lower at 7,507.15.

TSMC shed 1.75 percent to Tw$84.3 while Chunghwa Telecom was 0.79 percent lower at Tw$87.6.

-- Manila fell 0.33 percent, or 16.82 points, to 5,156.46.

Metropolitan Bank and Trust fell 1.52 percent to 90.50 pesos, while Ayala Corp. dropped 2.02 percent to 416.20 pesos.

-- Wellington fell 0.25 percent, or 8.96 points, to 3,516.23.

Fletcher Building slipped 2.39 percent to NZ$6.13, Telecom was 1.19 percent lower at NZ$2.50 and Contact lost 0.41 percent to NZ$4.89.

-- Kuala Lumpur slipped 0.30 percent, or 4.77 points, to 1,591.85.

Petronas Chemicals fell 2.1 percent to 6.56 ringgit and MMC Corp shed 1.8 percent to 2.68 ringgit while British American Tobacco added 2.7 percent to 56.48 ringgit and Kuala Lumpur Kepong gained 1.3 percent to 24.12 ringgit.

-- Jakarta gained 0.42 percent, or 17.65 points, to 4,181.37.

Bank Mandiri rose 1.4 percent to 7,150 rupiah, cigarette maker Gudang Garam gained 1.1 percent to 58,450 rupiah, and food manufacturer Indofood Sukses Makmur gained 1.6 percent to 4,700.

-- Bangkok rose 0.78 percent, or 9.26 points, to close at 1,194.60.

Banpu gained 1.44 percent to 564.00 baht, and PTT Plc added 0.85 percent to 354.00 baht.

-- Mumbai slid 129.87 points or 0.74 percent to 17,373.84.

India's largest private aluminium producer Hindalco fell 2.61 percent to 124.8 while state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) slid 2.66 percent to 265. India's rupee also hit its lowest level in three months against the dollar, at 52.18.