Tokyo  - Stocks ended lower Friday in Tokyo as anxiety over the economy returned ahead of US job data.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 39.62 points, or 0.45 per cent, to close at 8,836.8.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was also down 5.87 points, or 0.68 per cent, to 855.02.

On the currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar traded at 91.20-25 yen, down from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 91.76-77 yen.

After witnessing a heavy fall of over 700 points on Wednesday (Jan 07), Indian equities, today (Jan 09), opened on a lower note at 9,434.85, down 152.03 points.

Consumer goods and realty stocks have taken a severe beating.

Hammered by the worst ever company scam in India, shares of Satyam Computer Services (at 10:00 a.m.) stood at Rs 13.50, down Rs 26.45 at the BSE. The scrip also touched an intra-day high of Rs 32.00 and low of Rs 11.50. On Wednesday (Jan 07), the shares declined 77.69 at Rs 39.95.

Tokyo - Stocks gave up early gains to end Friday's morning session lower in Tokyo as anxiety over the economy returned ahead of US job data.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 83.7 points, or 0.94 per cent, to 8,792.72.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was also down 11.1 points, or 1.29 per cent, to 849.79.

On the currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 91.35-40 yen, down from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 91.76-77 yen.

The New York Stock Exchange has stopped dealing with Satyam Computer Services after revelation of large scale financial misdoing in its business conduct. Shares of beleaguered Satyam Computer Services were not traded at NYSE as per the report from stock exchange.

The regulation officer at exchange said, "NYSE regulation is currently evaluating the news relating to Satyam and will continue to closely monitor further developments. Trading was halted prior to the opening of the market. The security will remain halted until further notice."

Sydney - The steep fall on Wall Street proved a strong gravitational pull on Australian stocks Thursday with the market losing most of recent gains.

The ASX 200 gave up 85 points, or 2.3 per cent, to 3,694.

"We had a good run on commodities over the last few days and we are reversing some of those gains," IG Markets dealer Oliver Stevens said.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks plunged almost five per cent in mid-session Thursday due to the worsening global recession and a decline in the island nation's December exports.

By 12:19 pm, the TAIEX index had fallen 234.42 points, or 4.89 per cent, to 4,555.42.

Analysts blamed the fall on the continued global recession, a drop in oil prices, the overnight fall of US stocks and a record 41.9 per cent slump in Taiwan's December exports.