Asian markets exhibited mixed trend on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged and cited lack of progress on inflation to cut interest rates from a two-decade high. Moreover, mixed signals from Fed Chief Jerome Powell on the outlook for inflation and interest rates also kept sentiments mixed. The Japanese Nikkei lost marginally, while the yen slipped to the lower 155 range against the American currency after rising as high as 153 overnight on suspected intervention by Japanese authorities. The Kospi average ended down after official data showed South Korea's factory activity contracted again in April, but manufacturers' optimism climbed to the highest level in nearly two years. Chinese markets remained closed for the Labour Day holidays.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | -- | -- | -- |
| Hang Seng | 18,207.13 | 444.10 | 2.44 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,117.42 | -116.78 | -1.64 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,580.30 | 4.33 | 0.27 |
| Nikkei 225 | 38,236.07 | -37.98 | -0.10 |
| Straits Times | 3,296.89 | 4.20 | 0.13 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,683.65 | -8.41 | -0.31 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 20,222.44 | -174.16 | -0.86 |
