On April 17, Japan's Nikkei 225 index opened 0.44% lower at 59,255.09 points, while South Korea's KOSPI index edged up 0.02% to 6,227.33 points.

As of the latest update, the Nikkei 225 had dropped 0.71%, and the KOSPI had declined 0.58%.

Overnight, the three major U.S. stock indices all closed higher. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.36%, setting a new record high for the 12th consecutive trading day. The S&P 500 climbed 0.26%, also reaching a historic peak, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.24%.