Asian markets struggle as easing inflation fails to boost optimism

Asian markets fluctuated Friday as traders weighed a range of issues including US debt ceiling hopes, high-level talks between Washington and Beijing, banking sector uncertainty and more signs of a slowing economy.

Investors hoping the Federal Reserve will finally take a breather from its long-running campaign of interest rate hikes have been left feeling a little more confident this week after data showed inflation on both a consumer and wholesale level continued to ease in April.