BANGKOK – Shares retreated in Asia on Friday after losses for influential technology stocks pulled Wall Street benchmarks lower.

U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices advanced.

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Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell more than 2% early in the session and was trading 1.6% lower at 50,064.38.

China reported that its exports contracted 1.1% in October, as shipments to the United States dropped by 25% from a year earlier. But economists expect Chinese exports to recover after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed last week to de-escalate the trade war between the two largest economies.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.9% to 26,247.36, while the Shanghai Composite index was nearly unchanged, at 4,007.45.

South Korea's Kospi shed 2.2% to 3,937.22

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