Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares regained some lost ground Friday as an unexpected cut in local interest rates saw them end the week with a climb of more than 3 per cent.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index gained 453.39 points or 3.29 per cent to end the week on 14,243.43 points, despite falling more than 5 per cent in morning trading. Turnover was 48.8 billion Hong Kong dollars (6.29 billion US dollars).

Seoul - Shares finished almost 4 per cent higher Friday on the Seoul stock exchange as South Korea's central bank cut interest rates. The local currency edged up against the dollar.

The benchmark Kospi index rose 42.27 points, or 3.9 per cent, to close at 1,134.49.

Advancing issues outnumbered losers 685 to 171.

The main index of the technology-heavy Kosdaq market surged 13.58 points to 325.54.

Earlier in the day, the Bank of Korea lowered the key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 4.0 per cent in a bid to calm markets and boost the economy.

Tokyo  - The Tokyo market extended its recent losses Friday after Toyota Motor Corp announced a sharp cut in it earnings forecast for the current fiscal year.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 316.14 points, or 3.55 per cent, to close at 8,583.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 30.3 points, or 3.33 per cent, to 879.

For the week, Nikkei was up 0.07 per cent, and Topix also rose 1.35 per cent.

Taipei - Taiwa

Indian equities opened negatively for the third straight session on rising global recessionary pressures.

Auto and IT stocks went down, whereas oil & gas and FMCG stocks gained ground.  

BSE Midcap and Smallcap index climbed 0.32% and 0.15% respectively.

Today, the 30-share index, BSE Sensex opened at 9,631.59, down 102.63 points, as against its last closure in which it settled with a loss of 385.79 points.