Asian markets ended the week mixed after setting new highs for the year.
In Australia, the benchmark SP ASX 200 Index ended closed down 27.30 points, or 0.6 percent, at 4,687.60.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index fell 73.26 points, or 0.7 percent, to 10,370.54.
In Korea the Kospi up 4.24 points, or 0.3 percent to end at 1,699.71.
Japan Airlines has received a joint offer of assistance from American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas to help it through its financial difficulties, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.
Executives from the three carriers visited JAL's headquarters on Wednesday to present an offer including debt guarantees, advice on restructuring, merging some offices and adjusting the numbers of trans-Pacific routes, the report said. American Airlines is also considering investing in JAL, possibly taking a stake worth tens of billions of yen, the Nikkei said in its evening edition, quoting unnamed informed sources.
Queensland's capacity to export coal was boosted on Friday with the opening of a $49 million rail track duplication in the Bowen Basin. Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the commissioning of seven kilometres of duplicated track east of Duaringa in central Queensland would mean more coal could be moved to port.
'The completion of the project is further evidence the Bligh government is meeting its commitment to expanding the coal network even as plans for privatisation of the coal network continue,' Ms Nolan said in a statement. The line carries more than 50 million tonnes a year, which translates to about $10 billion in export revenue for the state, Ms Nolan said.
CSL's swine flu vaccine has been approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. Health Minister Nicola Roxon confirmed the news, saying it will be ready later this month. Vaccines are available for all adults and the Minister is urging people to protect themselves and their families.
The TGA is awaiting further data from clinical trials before determining whether it is safe for children. Earlier this week the vaccine was cleared for use in America by the US government. Shares fell 1 per cent to $34.05.
ANZ Banking Group has followed the other three big banks by reducing some personal account fees but will scrap exception fees only for recipients of government benefits and will increase other customer charges. From December 15, the bank will reduce overdrawn, dishonour and over-limit fees applying to all other customers.
But the monthly account service fee on its popular everyday Access Advantage transaction account will rise by $1 to $6.
The bank will also raise fees for its online and phone banking everyday account and Breakfree package. Overdrawn fees will drop from $35 to $6 on all personal transaction accounts, and no fee will be charged where the overdrawn among is less than $50. Shares gained 1.44 per cent to $23.18.
Macquarie Airports says traffic trends are improving, with an increase at Sydney Airport in August as declines slowed at the company's European airports.
Traffic volumes increased 1.3 per cent at Sydney Airport in August compared with the same month the year before and declined 7.6 per cent and 4.4 per cent at the airports in Copenhagen and Brussels respectively, Sydney-based MAp said in a statement on Friday. Traffic at Bristol Airport, which MAp divested this week, fell 3.6 per cent. But for the year to date, Sydney Airport's traffic declined 2.8 per cent to 21.2 million from the same period last year, underscoring the weakness earlier in 2009.
