Traders in Asia also look toward August consumer prices index from Japan and Hong Kong, and central bank decisions from Bank of Japan and People's Bank of China.

During Pope Francis' four-country visit to Asia and Oceania, world leaders were eager to echo the pontiff's focus on combating climate change, calling for commitments to greater global action.

Asia-Pacific markets on Friday were mostly higher, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading the gains after Wall Street soared overnight following the Federal Reserve’s outsized rate cut. Market

Japan's Nikkei share average jumped more than 2 per cent in the morning session on Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, while traders also kept a wary eye ahead of the Bank of Japan's policy decision later in the day.