Asian shares fall, trading muted with Good Friday holidays

Asian shares have fallen in muted trading as markets closed for Good Friday and other holidays

TOKYO -- Asian shares fell in muted trading as markets were closed for Good Friday and other holidays.

Benchmarks declined in Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai. Sydney, Manila, Bangkok and Hong Kong were among markets observing holidays on Friday. U.S. and European markets also were closed.

Shutdowns in major Chinese cities due to coronavirus outbreaks and the war in Ukraine are weighing on sentiment.

“The Russia-Ukraine conflict inflation effects are now more meaningful than direct military developments in a market sense. These consequences have fabricated an uncertain environment that could keep investors wary,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.