A currency trader watches monitors at the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea on August 12. Asian stock markets struggled to find their footing Friday, giving back morning gains despite a dramatically higher finish on Wall Street prompted by a slight drop in U.S. unemployment claims. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 1.33 percent, or 24.13, to close at 1,793.31. (Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press)