Asian markets finish week

their inflation target being symmetric indicate that the Feds are less concerned about the updraft from inflationary pressures than current market pricing.”

Energy gains

Tokyo ended 0.7 percent higher, helped by a weaker yen. Hong Kong climbed one percent, Shanghai added 0.6 percent and Sydney put on 0.8 percent. Seoul and Singapore each jumped 1.5 percent, while Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta were also well in the green.

Energy firms across the region were higher, recovering some of Thursday’s losses, after oil prices jumped on the back of data showing US stockpiles fell last week. Forecasts had been for a rise.

The news sent crude sharply higher on Thursday as it eased worries about a pick-up in US production, which was threatening to negate the output cap by OPEC and Russia. Both main oil contracts continued to rise in Asia.

“The market’s been concerned about US production ramping, so as long as you still have these healthy inventory reports, it helps ease some of the fears,” Craig Bethune, a senior portfolio manager at Manulife Asset Management, said.

On forex markets the dollar climbed against the euro, recovering some losses after European Central Bank minutes showed a cautious move towards an exit from crisis- era stimulus.

The broadly positive sentiment also provided a platform for the greenback to rise against the yen, which is usually the go-to currency in times of turmoil.

In early European trade London and Paris each rose 0.1 percent, while Frankfurt put on 0.2 percent.