Asian markets settled mostly lower on Thursday with caution ahead of the release of key US economic data that could provide more cues on the US Federal Reserve's interest rate path. Meanwhile, Ten-year Treasury yield declined below 3.9% as British inflation fell to slowest pace in two years, bolstered expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates in the first half of next year. Seoul shares declined, despite an announcement earlier in the day on loosening rules on capital gains tax for wealthy shareholders in an effort to prevent a possible year-end selling spree and the subsequent market chaos.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,918.71 | 16.60 | 0.57 |
| Hang Seng | 16,621.13 | 7.32 | 0.04 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,209.62 | -10.05 | -0.14 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,455.58 | -8.98 | -0.61 |
| Nikkei 225 | 33,140.47 | -535.47 | -1.62 |
| Straits Times | 3,112.50 | 4.47 | 0.14 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,600.02 | -14.28 | -0.55 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 17,543.74 | -91.46 | -0.52 |
