Asia-Pacific markets track Wall Street gains

Asia-Pacific markets climbed Friday, after the S&P 500 hit record highs overnight as US President Donald Trump called for lower interest rates and cheaper oil prices, reports CNBC.

The Bank of Japan raised policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.5 per cent -- the highest since 2008 and in line with economists' expectations. Following the decision, the Japanese yen weakened marginally to trade at 155.18 against the dollar.

Earlier on Friday, Japan reported its core inflation rate rose to a 16-month high of 3 per cent in December, year on year.

The country's Nikkei 225 and Topix erased earlier gains to close flat at 39,931.98 and 2,751.04, respectively.

South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.85 per cent to end the day at 2,536.80, while the Kosdaq rose 0.65 per cent to close at 728.74.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose for a third straight week. The index ended the day up 0.36 per cent at 8,408.9.

Mainland China's CS1300 benchmark rose 0.77 per cent to end the day at 3,832.86. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up 1.67 per cent as of its last hour of trade.

Meanwhile, European equity markets were trading higher on Friday to cap a positive week for stocks.

Germany's DAX was higher by 0.13 per cent while France's CAC 40 gained 0.7 per cent at 1:30 pm London time. The UK's FTSE 100 was the only major European index to trade lower, down by 0.35 per cent.