Japan's Nikkei 225 closed down 2,694.42 points (-4.03%) at 64,141.12 on July 17 (Friday), after an intraday drop of as much as 6% that briefly pushed the index below 63,000. TOPIX fell 2.72%. Notable movers: Kioxia -16%, SoftBank -8.5%, Advantest -8%. South Korea's stock market was closed today.

On July 16 in Pyongyang, Wang Huning, Politburo Standing Committee member and CPPCC chairman, led a Chinese party-state delegation on an official visit to North Korea and attended a reception marking the 65th anniversary of the China-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance with Pak Thae-song, WPK Politburo Standing Committee member, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission and premier; Wang delivered remarks.

US initial jobless claims for week to July 11: 208,000 vs 217,000 expected; prior revised from 215,000 to 216,000.