Summary The euro extended losses seen in Europe and New York.
HONG KONG (AFP) - Asian markets fell on mild profit-taking Friday following a healthy week of gains, with focus now on the release of US jobs data later in the day.
The euro extended losses seen in Europe and New York after the head of the European Central Bank said its board had talked about monetary easing and interest rate cuts, with the 18-nation zone threatened by deflation.
Tokyo s headline share index slipped 0.18 percent in the morning, Hong Kong eased 0.39 percent, Sydney was 0.12 percent lower while Shanghai lost 0.30 percent and Seoul dipped 0.23 percent.
With few catalysts to drive trade, investors took the opportunity to cash in gains after a broad global rally this week that has been fuelled by upbeat data including on manufacturing and US private-sector jobs.
Attention is now on the US non-farm payrolls release. The figures will provide dealers with a better handle on the strength of the economy following three months of softness caused by the severe winter weather that hit most of the United States.
However, while a strong pick-up in employment will be welcomed, there are fears that the numbers could be too good for the Federal Reserve s liking.
Norihiro Fujito, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities, said: "Solid jobs data is welcome, but numbers too robust may spark fears that the Fed may actually accelerate stimulus tapering."
That could result in "another roiling effect", he said.
The Fed s decision to start winding down its stimulus programme from January -- citing improvements in the economy -- hit world markets as investors repatriated their cash to the US in expectations interest rates will begin to rise.
- ECB vows to act swiftly -
=============================
On Wall Street Thursday the three main indexes retreated after surging in the previous sessions, while economic data were mixed.
The US services sector s activity partly rebounded from a steep February fall, the country s trade deficit widened more than expected and weekly initial unemployment claims rose.
The Dow was flat, the S&P 500 slipped 0.11 percent from Wednesday s record close and the Nasdaq slid 0.91 percent.
On currency markets the euro suffered from ECB president Mario Draghi s vow to "act swiftly" if needed to keep deflation at bay.
In a news conference after the bank held rates and stood pat on other easing measures, he said: "We will monitor developments very closely and will consider all instruments available to us.
"We are resolute in our determination to maintain a high degree of monetary accommodation and to act swiftly if required."
BK Asset Management managing director Kathy Lien said Draghi was "unusually specific in saying that quantitative easing, another rate cut, negative deposit rates and a narrower rate corridor were all discussed at the meeting".
In Asian morning trade the euro bought $1.3713 and 142.48 yen, compared with $1.3717 and 142.61 yen in New York and well down from the $1.3763 and 143.02 yen seen on Thursday in Tokyo.
The dollar was at 103.88 yen compared with 103.94 in US trade.
Oil prices were mixed. New York s West Texas Intermediate for May delivery rose 11 cents to $100.40 a barrel in early Asian trade, and Brent North Sea crude for May was down two cents at $106.13.
Gold fetched $1,284.90 an ounce around 0240 GMT, down from $1,286.75 late Thursday.
