Asian Stocks Trading Narrowly Mixed

By Jeremiah Marquez

HONG KONG -- Asian stocks were narrowly mixed Friday amid more corporate gloom and worries that a key U.S. jobs report could show the recession in the world's largest economy is deepening.

Trading fluctuated in a number of markets as investors awaited closely watched non-farm payrolls data, due out later in the U.S., that's expected to show massive job losses -- as many as half a million or more -- in December as a weakening economy led employers to lay off workers and curb hiring.

Dismal corporate news out of Asia also weighed on investors. ...