Major Asian stock markets closed lower on Friday, following the release of U.S. retail data overnight which raised concerns over a slowing American economy. Investors await developments from the ongoing U.S-China trade negotiations in Beijing.

Mainland Chinese markets saw losses on the day. The Shanghai composite slipped 1.37 percent to close at 2,682.38 while the Shenzhen component declined 1.148 percent to finish its trading day at 8,125.63. The Shenzhen composite also declined 0.67 percent to close at 1,389.47..

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slipped 1.91 percent in its final hour of trading.

The moves came after Chinese inflation data for January missed expectations, coming in at 1.7 percent higher as compared to a year ago, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters were expecting China's Consumer Price Index to come in at 1.9 percent higher on year. December CPI — a gauge of prices for goods and services — rose 1.9 percent over the same period.

Meanwhile, high level trade negotiations between China and the U.S. continued in Beijing as investors watched closely for developments.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 1.13 percent to close at 20,900.63 while the Topix shed 0.79 percent to end at 1,577.29. Shares of Japanese conglomerate Softbank Group fell 4.4 percent.

South Korea's Kospi shed 1.34 percent to close at 2,196.09 as shares of industry heavyweight Samsung Electronics and chipmaker SK Hynix fell 3.05 percent and 4.65 percent, respectively.

Australia's bucked the overall trend in the region as it rose 0.11 percent to close at 6,066.10. The energy subindex rose 0.76 percent as oil stocks mostly gained. Santos advanced 0.75 percent, Woodside Petroleum gained 1.49 percent and Beach Energy added 2.17 percent.