Asian markets settled down on Thursday ahead of the release of US GDP and PCE price index data, which could offer more clues on when the US central bank will cut interest rates this year and by how much. Market sentiments weakened further on Wall Street’s overnight fall as disappointing earnings from Tesla and Alphabet prompted investors to pull back on the artificial-intelligence frenzy. Japanese shares led regional losses as the yen rose to its strongest level against the dollar in 2-1/2 months ahead of a Bank of Japan policy meeting next week, where a rate hike may be on the table. Seoul shares dropped by tracking sell-off in megacap US technology shares and after data showed South Korea's economy contracted in the second quarter. Chinese shares dipped, even as China’s central bank surprised markets again by cutting another key policy rate to try to offset a weakening economy and a housing market crisis.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,886.74 | -15.21 | -0.53 |
| Hang Seng | 17,004.97 | -306.08 | -1.80 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,240.28 | -22.48 | -0.31 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,615.18 | -5.96 | -0.37 |
| Nikkei 225 | 37,869.51 | -1,285.34 | -3.39 |
| Straits Times | 3,430.45 | -30.37 | -0.89 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,710.65 | -48.06 | -1.77 |
| Taiwan Weighted | -- | -- | -- |
