05:37 AM EST, 12/13/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets largely fell back Friday on overnight Wall Street cues, and after Beijing unveiled plans to stimulate the region's largest economy that failed to inspire investors.

Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the red, as did most other regional exchanges.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower on profit-taking after four-straight previous trading sessions in the green and did not recover, finishing off 0.9%.

Defense stocks wavered after government tax plans to fund increased military outlays faltered.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 378.70 to 39,470.44, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 178 to 46.

Leading the upside was paper-and-packaging house Oji, up 11.2% after disclosing details of a share buyback plan, while medical-device maker Omron declined 5.6%.

In economic news, Japan's index of industrial production in October rose 1.4% on year, and a seasonally adjusted 2.8% from September, reported the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and declined to the close, finishing off 2% after an official readout of plans from a concluded Beijing national economic policy meeting left investors underwhelmed.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 425.81 to 19,971.24, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 77 to five. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 2.6% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 3.9%.

Leading the upside was smartphone components-maker Sunny Optical Technology, gaining 3.2%, while property developer Longfor declined 7.3%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 2% to 3,391.88.

In economic news, yields on 10-year mainland China sovereign bonds struck a fresh record low at 1.77%.

On the other regional exchanges, the South Korean KOSPI rose 0.5%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.1%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.4%; the Singapore Straits Times Index was steady, and the Thai Set declined 0.6%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 1.1%.