U.K. stocks pushed further into record territory in bouncy trade on Thursday, supported by a rally in shares of house builders on the back of upbeat news from Persimmon PLC. The index was hovering around the flatline for most of the session as traders digested minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting in December, released after Wednesday's close in London.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed at a record Thursday, as the broader stock market finished lower, dragged down by a steep slide in the financial sector and major retailers. Mixed data on jobs also raised concerns a day before the closely watched December employment report due Friday.

Japanese shares dropped Friday on yen-strengthening as traders awaited U.S. jobs data for clues on Federal Reserve rate actions. The yen's gain against the dollar comes as investors grow cautious about the U.S. economic outlook, and as traders second-guessed their once unshakeable belief in a continuous greenback rally driven by Fed rate rises.