Asian markets exhibit mixed trend in early deals on Thursday

Asian markets are exhibiting mixed trend in the early deals on Thursday after remarks by the Federal Reserve chair renewed expectations that the Fed's first rate hike in nearly a decade could take place as early as next month. Meanwhile, the Japanese market is notably higher, as the yen weakened against the US dollar and boosted exporters' stocks after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that a US interest rate hike is still possible in December. Among the other Asian markets, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia are also lower. Bucking the trend, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Malaysia are up with modest gains.

Nikkei 225 added 220.22 points or 1.16% to 19,147.13, Hang Seng jumped 52.82 points or 0.23% to 23,106.39, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI surged 7.67 points or 0.46% to 1,693.29, and Shanghai Composite was up by 93.12 points or 2.69% to 3,552.76.

On the flip side, KOSPI Index dropped 7.07 points or 0.34% to 2,045.70, Jakarta Composite declined 2.56 points or 0.06% to 4,610.01, Straits Times decreased 2.37 points or 0.08% to 3,038.11 and Taiwan Weighted was down by 2.83 points or 0.03% to 8,854.19.