Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Thursday as investors digested minutes released by the U.S. Federal Reserve that showed members are still committed to fighting inflation with rate hikes.
Markets in Japan were shuttered for the Emperor’s Birthday.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index dropped 72.49 points, or 0.4%, to 20,351.35.
The Bank of Korea held its interest rates at 3.5%, a first after nearly a year of rate hikes, and in line with expectations. South Korea’s picked up ground, alongside Samsung Electronics gaining about 1.5% after the decision.
Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to release their consumer price indexes, with Singapore’s CPI coming in at 6.5% on an annualized basis for January.
CHINA
The Shanghai CSI 300 fell 3.3 points, or 0.1%, to 4,103.65.
Apple for the first time tapped Chinese supplier Luxshare to help develop the firm’s augmented reality devices, Nikkei reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
Luxshare has taken over the AR development team in Shanghai that was previously owned by Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company
Pegatron, the report said.
In other markets
In Korea, the Kospi gained 21.41 points, or 0.9%, to 2,439.09.
In Singapore, the Straits Times fell 35.11 points, or 1.1%, to 3,264.93.
In Taiwan, the Taiex leaped 196.64 points, or 1.3%, to 15,615.41.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 gained back 94.28 points, or 0.8%, to 11,888.50.
In Australia, the ASX 200 slid 29.11 points, or 0.4%, to 7,285.40.
