Asian stock markets closed mostly lower as investors took a breather after the previous day's rally, taking their lead from a retreat on Wall Street.
The euro continued to face pressure from the dollar and the yen ahead of next week's European Central Bank board meeting that many expect will see an easing of monetary policy.
Tokyo reversed earlier losses on Thursday to end higher for a sixth straight session. The Nikkei edged up 10.77 points to 14,681.72, while Sydney fell 0.14 per cent, or 7.68 points, to 5519.5 and Seoul lost 0.24 per cent, or 4.80 points, to close at 2,012.26.
Shanghai shed 0.47 per cent, or 9.63 points, to 2,040.60 and Hong Kong lost 0.30 per cent, or 69.89 points to 23,010.14.
With key US economic data due to be released later in the day, including the second estimate of first-quarter gross domestic product, dealers were keeping to the sidelines after enjoying a healthy pick-up on Wednesday.
On Wall Street the three main indexes ended lower ahead of the indicators. The Dow dipped 0.25 per cent, the S&P 500 eased 0.11 per cent, snapping a two-day streak of record closes, and the Nasdaq fell 0.28 per cent.
Investors are also waiting for the release Monday of HSBC's closely watched purchasing managers index (PMI) of manufacturing activity from China, the United States and Europe, hoping for signs of further improvement.
China is also due to unveil its own official PMI on Sunday.
On foreign exchange markets the euro fell to 138.02 yen from 138.40 yen late in New York and 138.96 yen in Tokyo earlier Wednesday, with expectations high that the ECB will announce new measures to combat tepid price rises.
The bank's chief Mario Draghi this month hinted at possible new policy moves as it struggles to prevent deflation in the eurozone.
The single European single currency also fetched $US1.3591, against $US1.3590 in US trade -- which was a 15-week low -- while the dollar eased to 101.54 yen from 101.84 yen.
In oil trade the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in July, climbed three cents to $US102.75 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for July gained 13 cents to $US109.94.
Gold fetched $US1,252.24 an ounce at 0800 GMT compared with $US1,265.08 late Wednesday.
In other markets:
-- Taipei fell 0.14 per cent, or 12.71 points, to 9,109.0.
Smartphone maker HTC rose 0.31 per cent to Tw$163.5 and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. skidded 1.61 per cent to Tw$122.0.
-- Wellington was flat, nudging up 1.7 points to 5,183.16.
Air New Zealand added 0.46 per cent to $NZ2.175 and Telecom was down 0.18 per cent at $NZ2.72.
-- Manila closed 1.64 per cent lower, shedding 111.21 points to 6,676.67.
The government said gross domestic product grew 5.7 per cent in the first three months of 2014, the first time in nine quarters it has seen expansion below six per cent.
Metropolitan Bank and Trust fell 2.96 per cent to 83.50 pesos while BDO Unibank eased 0.56 per cent to 88.40 pesos.
-- Jakarta was closed for a public holiday.
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