TOKYO November 25, 2010 (AP)
FILE - In this file photo taken Nov. 11, 2010, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)
(AP)Asian stock markets were mixed Friday after a muted performance in Europe where concerns remain about the possibility of further bailouts for debt-laden nations in the euro bloc.
Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average added 0.1 percent to 10,088.44 while South Korea's Kospi was down 0.5 percent at 1,917.15. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.1 percent at 23,071.62.
China's Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.9 percent to 2,872.81 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2 percent to 4,601.80. Elsewhere, markets in Singapore, Taiwan and New Zealand fell.
Before trading opened in Tokyo, the government released data showing that consumer prices in Japan fell during October compared to a year earlier, for the 20th straight month.
Deflation, which cuts into company profits and can cause job and wage cuts, is a major concern for the country. The Japanese parliament is due to pass a new $61 billion stimulus package later Friday.
The losses in Asia came after limited gains in Europe, where investors were wary of further debt problems across the Continent.
Key indexes in Britain, Germany and France ended higher but stock exchanges in Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Greece ? countries at the forefront of investor concerns over Europe's debt crisis ? closed lower.
Financial markets in the U.S. were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.
After the Irish government agreed to austerity measures in exchange for a lifeline from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, concerns remain over whether Portugal or larger Spain will also be forced to ask for bailouts.
In currencies, the dollar rose to 83.84 yen from 83.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.3333 from $1.3342.
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