While the Fed messaging indicated no clear end to supportive policy measures such as bond buying, signals of faster-than-expected rate hikes indicated its concern about inflation as the U.S. economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gave up early gains to dip 0.22%, extending declines into a fifth session.
Chinese blue-chip A shares fell 0.36% and Taiwan shares lost 0.22%, but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.49% and Seoul’s KOSPI was up 0.13%.
Japan’s Nikkei was flat.
· European stocks muted, set to finish the week in positive territory; commodities tumble
The pan-European Stoxx 600 hovered around the flatline in early trade, as insurance stocks dropped 0.5% to lead losses while travel and leisure stocks added 0.3%.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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