A full moon, also known as a Strawberry Supermoon, is seen over the skyline of Sydney’s central business district on June 15, 2022.
Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets were lower after the minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting showed that the central bank was divided over its decision to pause its June rate hike and expected a slower pace of future rate hikes.
The brief pause in the Fed’s tightening cycle will give the committee time to assess the impact of raising interest rates, the most aggressive move since the early 1980s, officials said.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng led the decline in the region, falling nearly 3%, led by basic materials and healthcare stocks. Meanwhile, in mainland China, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.38 percent and the Shenzhen Composite fell 0.39 percent.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is due to begin her visit to Beijing this week, where she is expected to meet senior Chinese officials. The move follows China’s surprise cancellation on Wednesday of a visit by EU foreign affairs high representative Josep Borrell.
in Japan, Nikkei 225 Index In early trade on Thursday, the Topix fell 1.64%, while the Topix lost 1.22%. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.61%, while the Kosdaq lost 1.35%.
In Australia, S&P/ASX 200 Index down 1.34%.
In Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s central bank is expected to keep its overnight policy rate steady at 3 percent, a Reuters poll showed.