US inflation, Tokyo CPI, yen, Japanese industrial sales | Wilnesh News

Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed on Friday as investors awaited key economic data from Japan as well as U.S. inflation data for clues on the path of monetary policy in both countries.

The yen remains firmly above the 160 mark against the U.S. dollar, last trading at 160.72, hitting its lowest level in 38 years against the U.S. dollar on Thursday.

Japan is to release June inflation data from the capital Tokyo, which is widely considered a leading indicator of national trends.

The country will also release unemployment data and industrial production data for May.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index Futures showed a rebound in the market, with the Chicago futures contract at 39,620 points and the Osaka futures contract at 39,580 points, compared with the previous closing price of 39,341.54 points.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index futures were at 7,775 points, also rebounding from the previous closing point of 7,759.6 points.

In comparison, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index futures were at 17,524 points, lower than the Hang Seng Index’s last closing point of 17,716.47 points. The index hit a near two-month low on Thursday.

In U.S. stocks overnight, the S&P 500 index rose slightly as Wall Street looked to new inflation data to assess when the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates.

The U.S. is expected to release its preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, on Friday.

The broader market index closed slightly up 0.09%. The Nasdaq rose 0.30% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.09%.

—CNBC’s Hakyung Kim and Sarah Min contributed to this report.