Asian stock markets closed lower on Friday, mostly reflecting previous session's US pullback as investors seemed ever more certain that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates in March.

Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 lost 95.63 points or 0.49 percent to settle at 19,469.17. China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite lost 11.72 points or 0.36 percent to close at 3,218.31. Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 175.35 points or 0.74 percent to end at 23,552.72.

Singapore's Straits Times declined 14.14 points or 0.45 percent to end at 3,122.34. South Korea's KOSPI lost 23.90 points or 1.14 percent to end at 2,078.75. Taiwan's TAIEX declined 43.59 points or 0.45 percent to end at 9,648.21.