Asia markets fall across the board

Asia-Pacific markets were lower on Friday as investors look to inflation data out of Japan and Singapore, as well as flash estimates from the au Jibun bank on Japan's manufacturing and services activity, reports CNBC.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 1.61 per cent in its final hour of trade, leading losses in the region as it comes back from a public holiday, dragged by health-care and tech stocks. Mainland Chinese markets are closed for a public holiday Friday.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 pared some losses, but still fell 1.45 per cent to 32,781.54, ending an eight-day run above the 33,000 mark. The Topix also fell 1.38 per cent, mainly due to industrials and closed at 2,264.73.

Japan's core inflation rate in May eased slightly to 3.2 per cent year-on-year, lower than April's 3.4 per cent but still above the BOJ's 2 per cent target. The May core inflation rate was slightly above the 3.1 per cent expected by economists polled by Reuters.

South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.91 per cent to close at 2,570.10 after a slight rebound on Thursday, with the Kosdaq also slipping 0.18 per cent and ending the day at 874.94.