U.S. markets closed slightly lower posting small loses after the ECB did not announce immediate monetary policy action. Traders are looking ahead to non-farm payrolls and the unemployment rate due before the markets open. The DOW JONES lost -0.07% closing at 17,900.10 points and the S&P 500 declined -0.12 with a final quote of 2,071.92 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng is trading +0.95% at 24,060.06. China's Shanghai Composite closed at 2,938.78 points, a gain of +1.36% after very volatile trading. The index rallied 21% over the last month and 9.5% this week.

Japan's Nikkei extended a seven-year high, gaining +0.19% closing at 17,920.45, as the yen continued to weaken trading above USD120 supporting export stocks.