Asia-Pacific markets mostly rise as investors await Federal Reserve’s rate decision

Anniek Bao

@in/anniek-yunxin-bao-460a48107/@anniekbyx

Key Points

• Investors await the Federal Reserve’s rate decision due Wednesday stateside, and assessed economic data from Japan. Indonesian central bank’s rate decision is also due later in the day.
• South Korea and Hong Kong markets are closed today while markets in mainland China will resume trade after a nationwide three-day holiday.

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Wednesday, following gains on Wall Street that saw both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average reach new highs.

Investors await the Federal Reserve’s rate decision due Wednesday stateside, and assessed economic data from Japan. Indonesian central bank’s rate decision is also due later in the day.

Japan’s imports and exports in August rose 2.3% and 5.6%, respectively, from a year ago, according to Japan’s Ministry of Finance, both missing the Reuters poll estimates of 13.4% and 10% growth.

Japan’s private sector machinery orders in July declined 0.1% from the previous month, according to data from the Cabinet Office, missing Reuters estimates of a 0.5% increase.

Bank Indonesia Board of Governors were set to wrap up a two-day meeting and make a key rate decision later on Wednesday. The policy rate stands at its highest level since 2016, even as inflation has cooled to well within the central bank’s 1.5%-3.5% target.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 closed flat at 8,142, after a four-day winning streak that sent the index to a record high on Tuesday.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.49% to 36,380.17 while the broad-based Topix added 0.38% to 2,565.37.

Mainland China’s CSI 300 was up 0.58%, after closing at its lowest level since January 2019 on Friday.

The Taiwan Weighted Index fell nearly 0.78% to close at 21,850.08.

South Korea and Hong Kong markets were closed for a holiday.

Overnight in the U.S., the S&P 500 notched an intraday record before closing below session highs but still slightly higher on the day at 5,634.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.04% to close at 41,606.18 after touching a fresh record during the session.

The Nasdaq Composite added 0.2% to 17,628.06.

Wall Street assessed the latest retail sales which rose 0.1% in August from the previous month, compared to the Reuters poll forecast of a 0.2% decline.

Source : cnbc