06:39 AM EDT, 06/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets pulled back on Friday following reports of Israeli military attacks on Iranian sites connected to possible nuclear-weapons programs.

Global crude oil prices rose between 8% and 9% for most grades in Asian trading hours.

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

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened lower on Middle East geopolitics and drifted sideways, finishing off 0.9%. A stronger yen dented export issues.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 338.84 to 37,834.25, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 176 to 46.

Leading the upside was games-maker Nexon, up 8.4%, while internet-services outfit LY declined 5.3%.

In economic news, Japan's index of industrial production rose 0.5% on year in April, but fell a seasonally adjusted 1.1% from March, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI).

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened evenly but declined in trading, finishing off 0.6% on Middle East war reports.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 142.82 to 23,892.56, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 49 to 34. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1.7% on the day, but the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.9%.

Property issues gained after the People's Bank of China disclosed a fresh "reverse repo" program for the second time this month, in a bid to boost bank funds available for lending.

Leading the upside was Chow Tai Fook Jewelry, gaining 5.4%, while Sunny Optical Technology declined 5%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.8% to 3,370.00.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 0.9%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 1%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.2%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.3%, and the Thai Set declined 0.5%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 0.7%