Asian markets ended mixed on Wednesday as investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. consumer inflation data as well as Fed minutes from the March meeting for clues on the monetary path of the central bank. Chinese shares rose as data showed new bank lending in the country hit an all-time high in the first quarter. Japanese markets advanced after Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett in an interview said that he has raised his holdings in five Japanese trading houses. Besides, traders overlooked data showing that Japan's core machinery orders fell 4.5 percent in February from the previous month, marking the first monthly decrease in three months.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 3,327.18 | 13.61 | 0.41 |
| Hang Seng | 20,309.86 | -175.38 | -0.86 |
| Jakarta Composite | 6,798.96 | -12.35 | -0.18 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,434.74 | -1.15 | -0.08 |
| Nikkei 225 | 28,082.70 | 159.33 | 0.57 |
| Straits Times | 3,286.12 | -11.71 | -0.36 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,550.64 | 2.78 | 0.11 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 15,932.97 | 19.09 | 0.12 |
