Asian markets trade mostly lower in early deals on Wednesday

13 Dec 2023 Evaluate
Most of the Asian markets traded lower in early deals on Wednesday, saddled by the risk aversion ahead to US Federal Reserve’s final policy decision for this year which is due later today. Latest upbeat US Jobs data and upside risk to inflation raised doubts on dovish pivot from Fed. Meanwhile, investors also went cautious ahead to this week’s Chinese industrial production, retail sales and unemployment data, as well as next week’s medium-term lending rate decisions by PBoC. Hang Seng is the worst performer among Asian indices as its trading near one-year-low rate. Albeit, some losses remained capped as Hong Kong's forex reserves hit a 7-month peak of USD 424.6 billion in November. Bucking the trend, Japan’s Nikkei advanced in the session after investors braced robust business confidence data from the country. Moreover, weak local currency yen also kindled foreign investments.

Straits Times down 2.22 points or 0.07% to 3,100.09, Hang Seng dipped 126.17 points 0.77% to 16,248.33, Taiwan Weighted narrowed 5.04 points or 0.03% to 17,445.59, KOSPI Index curtailed 19.52 points or 0.77% to 2,515.75, Jakarta Composite diminished by 42.78 points or 0.60% to 7,082.53, Shanghai Composite decreased by 17.90 points or 0.60% to 2,985.54, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI declined by 0.32 points or 0.02% to 1,446.80.

On the flip side, Nikkei 225 up by 131.64 points 0.40% to 32,975.34.

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