BANGKOK: Asian markets were mostly lower Friday after setting new highs for the year, with Tokyo shares down almost 1 percent amid news a major Japanese consumer finance firm was unable to pay its debts.

The jolt from Japan, which shows the global downturn continues to take a toll on the finance sector, added to worries that the markets have overestimated the strength of any economic recovery. Oil fell to near $72 on the same doubts.

Many Asian stock benchmarks hit new highs for the year Thursday after stronger-than-expected U.S. industrial production for August suggested improving demand from the world's biggest economy for Asia's mainstay exports.

"The markets have shot up a lot and the prices are getting too high. We may have room for more gains but you have to be careful," said Linus Yip, a strategist at First Shanghai Securities in Hong Kong. "The economic fundamentals still aren't so good, and I think we may be getting near the last uptick in this rally."

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average was down 83.55, or 0.8 percent, at 10.360.25 as financial stocks took a hit amid reports consumer lending firm Aiful Corp. is asking creditors to accept delays in repayment of its debts. Consumer finance firms fund much of their high-interest lending to consumers by borrowing from banks and other institutions at lower rates.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 62.64, or 0.3 percent, to 21,705.87 and China's Shanghai index lost 33.34, or 1.1 percent, to 3,026.92. Australia's market was off 1 percent. Bucking the trend, South Korea's Kospi gained 0.8 percent to 1,709.12

Wall Street lost ground on Thursday despite a surprise drop in unemployment claims.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 7.79, or 0.1 percent, to 9,783.92 after hitting a high for the year the day before. The S&P 500 index fell 3.27, or 0.3 percent, to 1,065.49, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 6.40, or 0.3 percent, to 2,126.75.

Futures pointed to a weak open Friday in the U.S. Dow futures were down 8, or 0.1 percent, at 9,791 and S&P futures slipped 0.5, or 0.1 percent, to 1,067.50.

Oil prices weakened in Asia, dampened by concerns that a recovery in the U.S. economy may be slower than expected.

Benchmark crude for October delivery fell 29 cents to $72.18 a barrel at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 3 cents to settle at $72.47 on Thursday.

In currencies, the dollar rose to 91.21 yen from 91.03 yen. The euro fell to $1.4723 from $1.4741.