TOKYO — Asian stock markets fell Friday after a lackluster day on Wall Street, which was dragged down by a disappointing U.S. jobs report and growing concern over the investigation of banks' foreclosure practices.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average lost 0.8 percent at 9,506.59. Financial names were among big decliners, with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. off 2.1 percent and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. down 2.5 percent.
South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.1 percent to 1,898.99, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.5 percent at 4,677.2.
In New York on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 1.51 points, or less than 0.01 percent, at 1,1094.57. The market made up earlier losses as investors anticipated that the Federal Reserve will take steps soon to strengthen the U.S. economy.
Bank and other financial stocks were pummeled as more companies suspended foreclosures on homes while taking steps to confirm that they have fully complied with the law. In a move that effectively froze the market for foreclosed homes, the attorneys general of all 50 states announced Wednesday that they are planning to investigate whether banks took all of the appropriate steps before foreclosing on hundreds of thousands of homes.
Initial claims for unemployment aid rose by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 462,000, the U.S. Labor Department said.
The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.29, or 0.36 percent, to 1,173.81. The Nasdaq composite index fell 5.85, or 0.2 percent, to 2,435.38.
In currencies, the dollar held steady at 81.43 yen. The euro was trading at $1.4033 from $1.4076 late Thursday. (AP)