Asian markets settled mostly down on Thursday with caution ahead of the release of US PCE inflation data on Friday that could provide more cues over the start of the Fed’s rate-cutting cycle. Meanwhile, investors were also awaiting a major US presidential debate in Atlanta later in the day. Seoul shares declined after investors' disappointment on Micron Technology's earnings results. Further, Chinese shares fell after data showed a sharp slowdown in industrial profit growth in May. Japanese shares declined after the yen's slide past 160-per-dollar prompted fears of government intervention and despite data that showed Japan's retail sales rose more than expected in May.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,945.85 | -26.68 | -0.90 |
| Hang Seng | 17,716.47 | -373.46 | -2.06 |
| Jakarta Composite | 6,967.95 | 62.31 | 0.90 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,584.94 | -6.01 | -0.38 |
| Nikkei 225 | 39,341.54 | -325.53 | -0.82 |
| Straits Times | 3,343.35 | 11.65 | 0.35 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,784.06 | -7.99 | -0.29 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 22,905.98 | -80.71 | -0.35 |
