Srilanka, Aug. 31 -- Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday, breaking ranks with Wall Street as investors also assessed a slate of economic data in the region.

Japan's Nikkei 225 slid 0.41%, while the Topix lost 0.39% after core consumer prices in Tokyo rose at a slower pace in August. The Tokyo core CPI, which strips out fresh food but includes energy, climbed 2.5% from a year earlier, matching Reuters' economists' forecasts, and easing from July's 2.9% increase. The figure, however, remained above the Bank of Japan's 2% target.

Japan's unemployment rate also eased to 2.3% in July, down from 2.5% the previous month.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)....