Asian markets traded mostly higher in early deals on Friday, bolstered by a series of upbeat earnings reports. Easing tensions regarding US tariffs kindled pharmaceutical and semiconductor stocks. Anticipations about potential Fed interest rate cuts also buoyed investor sentiments. Japan’s Nikkei surged the most among Asian indices with the rise in exports amidst softer local currency yen. The Japanese stock index is on track to gain more than 2% for the week.

Nikkei 225 surge by 793.85 points or 1.93% to 41,855.00, Taiwan Weighted rose by 60.72 points or 0.25% to 24,064.49, Jakarta Composite increased by 58.54 points or 0.78% to 7,548.72, Shanghai Composite higher by 3.02 points or 0.08% to 3,642.69, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia buoyed by 4.22 points or 0.27% to 1,553.33.

On the flip side, Hang Seng down by 236.63 points or 0.95% to 24,845.00, Straits Times dipped by 22.07 points or 0.52% to 4,236.08, and KOSPI Index curtailed by 24.56 points or 0.76% to 3,203.12.