Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday despite investors awaited the results of the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting later in the day for further insight into the bank's thinking on inflation and bond purchases. Investors shrugged off official data showing that Hong Kong's merchandise exports grew at a softer pace in March. The data from the Census and Statistics Department showed that exports rose 26.4 percent year-on-year in March, after a 30.4 percent increase in February. Imports gained 21.7 percent annually in March, following a 17.6 percent increase in the previous month. The trade deficit widened to HK$26.967 billion in March from HK$34.707 billion in the same month last year. In February, the deficit was HK$14.699 billion. Besides, Japanese market ended higher after data showed the country's retail sales rose 5.2 percent year-on-year in March, representing the fastest pace of growth in five months.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,457.07 | 14.46 | 0.42 |
| Hang Seng | 29,071.34 | 129.80 | 0.45 |
| Jakarta Composite | 5,974.48 | 14.86 | 0.25 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,608.50 | 1.82 | 0.11 |
| Nikkei 225 | 29,053.97 | 62.08 | 0.21 |
| Straits Times | 3,219.56 | 5.13 | 0.16 |
| KOSPI Composite | 3,181.47 | -33.95 | -1.06 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 17,567.53 | -28.37 | -0.16 |
