Asian shares mixed after record close on Wall St

Asian markets were mixed on Friday, with a record-breaking close on Wall Street offset by profit-taking after the previous day's broad gains.

Japan's Nikkei edged higher, however, as traders bought back into the dollar following comments from the head of the US Federal Reserve that its stimulus programme would be kept in place for some time.

Tokyo rose 0.23 percent, or 33.67 points, to 14,506.25 and Sydney added 0.17 percent, or 8.2 points, to close at 4,973.9. But Seoul dipped 0.41 percent, or 7.62 points, to 1,869.98

Shanghai fell 1.62 percent, or 33.50 points, to 2,039.49 as profit-takers moved in after enjoying a more than three percent rally Thursday.

Hong Kong slipped 0.75 percent, or 160.21 points, to 21,277.28.

Regional sentiment was largely positive after the Dow and S&P 500 surged to new highs on Wall Street as investors cheered Ben Bernanke's statement that the Fed would continue its bond-buying "for the foreseeable future".

While he said the economy was showing signs of strength, Bernanke was still concerned about high unemployment and inflation.

The Dow surged 1.11 percent and the S&P 500 rallied 1.36 percent, while the Nasdaq added 1.63 percent to end at its highest level since September 2000.

Bernanke's comments came as a surprise, with most economists expecting the bank to begin winding down the easy-money scheme that was introduced in September and has fuelled a rally in global markets.

The news sent the dollar tumbling about 2.5 percent against the yen on Thursday before it picked up a tad to sit at 98.90 yen by New York's close on Thursday.

And in afternoon Tokyo trade on Friday it rose to 99.10 yen. The euro fetched $1.3035 and 129.18 yen compared with $1.3092 and 129.50 yen.

On oil markets New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), for delivery in August, eased 24 cents to $104.67 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for August shed 21 cents to $107.52.

WTI hit a 15-month high of $107.45 in New York on Thursday and Brent reached $108.93.

Gold fetched $1,276.21 per ounce at 0810 GMT, compared with $1,283.45 late Thursday.

In other markets:

-- Taipei rose 0.50 percent, or 40.95 points, to 8,220.49.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. rose 0.46 percent to Tw$110.0 while smartphone maker HTC fell 1.03 percent to Tw$191.5.

-- Wellington added 0.18 percent, or 8.28 points, to 4,568.33.

-- Manila closed 2.60 percent higher, adding 166.85 points to 6,574.21.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone rose 0.85 percent to 2,848 pesos, Ayala Corp. surged 4.08 percent to 612 pesos and Metropolitan Bank added 4.94 percent to 114.80 pesos.