Major stock market indexes in the Asia-Pacific region were mostly lower during the afternoon session on Thursday, as investors digested the latest manufacturing sector reports from China and Japan. Additionally, traders assessed the United States Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged for the fourth consecutive time.
Japan's Nikkei 225 closed the session 0.76% lower, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.20% at the closing bell. South Korea's Kospi Composite gained 1.72%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng increased by 0.72% at 7:09 am CET. A minite later, the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Composite fell by 0.20% and 0.34%, respectively.
The dollar traded 0.19% lower against the yen, going for ¥146.87950 at 7:11 am CET.
