Authors: Jeanette Torres
Comstock Images/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Asian markets opened higher but quickly lost their footing Friday, closing either down or with minimal gains. This, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average registered a change of 400 points or more for a fourth consecutive day.
Japan's Nikkei index dropped 0.2 percent and South Korea's Kospi also fell, going down by 1.3 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose slightly by 0.13 percent; the Shanghai Composite rose 0.45 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also saw gains, climbing by 0.82 percent.
The mixed numbers overseas come after the Dow managed to gain 423 points on Thursday to end trading at 11,143. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also ended the day on a high, adding 52 points and 112 points, respectively.
The gains on Wall Street followed news that claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a four-month low last week.
U.S. stock futures are up ahead of Friday's opening.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices are hovering around $85 a barrel.
And in related news, the government will release two reports on Friday: one on retail sales in July and another on business inventories in June. Last month's retail sales report is expected to show gains thanks in part to car sales.
Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio
