HONG KONG : Most Asian equity markets continued to ignore record highs hit elsewhere in the world and fell in early trading on Friday, though Australia bucked the trend.
Australia's ASX200 rose 0.53per cent to a new record high, lifted by healthcare and technology companies. Overnight, MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe hit a new record high, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 also closed at record highs for the third consecutive day. Big technology stocks drove the market higher as investors warmed to jobs data showing a steady U.S. economic recovery. [.N]