As economic and geopolitical woes spur an exodus of investors from China, many have been redirecting money into Japan, giving the benchmark Nikkei an extra boost as it rockets to all-time highs.
China and Indonesia are set to reduce nickel output by at least 100,000 metric tons this year as producers seek to limit losses following a slump in the price of the metal used in stainless steel manufacture and for EVs, traders and analysts said.
Most Asian currencies declined for the week as concerns over China's shaky economic recovery and a gloomier outlook for U.S. rate cuts soured sentiment.
Industrial production in the Philippines, which measures the performance of the various industrial units such as manufacturing, mining and others, rose 2 percent in volume terms in December. In value terms, industrial production grew 2.6 percent.
Treasury yields and a gauge of global equities fell sharply after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged as expected on Wednesday but indicated it would not reduce them until inflation was "moving sustainably" towards its 2 percent target.