Asian Stocks Slide Amid Improved US Inflation Data

Asian stock markets took a mostly downward turn on Friday after the release of US inflation data for July. The numbers showed an improvement in the rate of price increases, but investors were not entirely convinced.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped by nearly 1% at one point, while Japan's Nikkei index fell around 0.5%. In contrast, US futures markets barely budged, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones remaining little changed.

Currency traders at Hana Bank in Seoul were watching the situation closely as the numbers affected exchange rates between the US dollar and other currencies, including the South Korean won.