Market Report - Asia Mixed Ahead of U.S. Jobs Data

Chan/ZHANG
ZHANG: Asian shares ran in place Friday. Investors stalled ahead of the release of a U.S. jobs report, seen as an update on the state of the key export market.
The Nikkei declined 0.7 percent as major exporters like Nissan eased ahead of the US employment data, and after Goldman Sachs cut its rating on the auto sector.
Nippon Steel went lower after warning of the need for more price hikes ahead, to offset rising raw materials costs.
In Australia, mining firms like BHP Billiton rose after industrial metals copper and nickel gained.
In Seoul Samsung Electronics declined after saying it would delay its announcement of first-quarter results until April 25, two days after a probe ends into corruption allegations at Samsung Group.
Food manufacturers also fell after a report that a virulent strain of bird flu had broken out in South Korea, raising the likelihood consumers would shun chicken products.

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