Beijing, China (BBN)-Asian markets traded mostly lower on Thursday with the focus on China after the government set its official growth target at 7% for this year.
The target is lower than 7.5% set last year, which China had missed after it grew at the slowest pace in 24 years, reports BBC.
The Shanghai Composite was down 0.6% at 3,258.96, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was lower 0.5% to 24,355.63.
Investors were also keeping an eye on the European Central Bank meeting later in the day and US jobs data on Friday.
Bucking the trend, Japanese shares were higher with the benchmark Nikkei 225 was up 0.2% at 18,738.92.
Australian shares were lower for the third consecutive session with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.2% at 5,886.6.
Investors were unmoved by data that showed retail sales rose 0.4% in January.
In South Korea, the Kospi index headed higher by 0.1% to 2,000.94.
BBN/SK/AD-05Mar15-10:10am (BST)
