06:47 AM EDT, 08/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets were mixed and muted Friday, as traders mulled central bank policies and the unfolding earnings season.

Tokyo and Shanghai finished in the green, but Hong Kong fell back. Other regional exchanges were also uneven.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher, wobbled, but still closed up 0.4% after the Bank of Japan Governor made a presentation to the nation's Parliament, and appeared to rule out further rate hikes if Japan's inflation continued to cool.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 153.26 to 38,364.27 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 175 to 50.

Leading the upside was electronics-house Sharp, up 7%, while semiconductor-test equipment maker Advantest lost 3.4%.

In economic news, Japan's "core" rate of inflation in July, which strips out food bills, rose 2.7% on year, again posting above the Bank of Japan's 2% annual inflation target on the nation's consumer price index (CPI).

However, the "core-core" inflation rate in July, which removes both volatile food and energy costs, rose a more-modest 1.9% on year.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower and could not recover, finishing off 0.2% as traders again balked at property and tech issues.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 28.90 to 17,612.10, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 56 to 24. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 1.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 0.7%.

Leading the upside was Ping An Insurance, gaining 3.6%, while video-game developer NetEase lost 10.3%, with both moves following earnings disclosures.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to 2,854.37.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI fell 0.2%; the Taiwan TWSE was steady; the Australian ASX 200 was flat; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.4%, and the Thai Set inclined 1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.1%.