Asian stock markets mixed after Wall St hits another record

Asian stock markets are mixed as investors await U.S. jobs numbers some appear to hope will be weak enough to persuade the Federal Reserve to postpone winding down economic stimulus

BEIJING -- Asian stock markets rose Friday as investors awaited U.S. hiring data some appear to hope will be weak enough to persuade the Federal Reserve to postpone winding down economic stimulus. Tokyo advanced after Wall Street hit its second record this week. Shanghai and Hong Kong declined. The U.S. government was due to report August hiring, prompting hopes a weak job market might delay the end of stimulus that supports stock prices. A survey earlier by payroll processor ADP found companies added fewer jobs than expected, while an industry group said manufacturing employment fell. Investors are making “perverse bets” that low U.S. jobs numbers “will nudge the Fed to defer taper for longer, thereby buoying markets," said Venkateswaran Lavanya of Mizuho Bank in a report.