Investing.com - Asia-Pacific shares witnessed a mixed opening on Thursday, following the downward trend of most US stocks on Wednesday. This response came after the US Federal Reserve decided to maintain interest rates at their highest level in over two decades.
The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia saw a modest increase of 0.3%, while South Korea's KOSPI 200 and Japan's Nikkei 225 experienced declines of 0.3% and 0.5% respectively.
In the US, the S&P 500 and the tech-centric NASDAQ Composite both fell by 0.3%, worsening the losses from Tuesday when the S&P 500 recorded its biggest drop since late January. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to climb 0.2%, representing an approximate increase of 87 points.
In commodity trading, Brent crude oil experienced a 3.6% decrease to US$83.44 a barrel. Conversely, gold saw a slight increase of 0.1%, reaching US$2,320.79.
In the local bond markets, the yields on both the Australian 2 Year and 10 Year government bonds increased to 4.17% and 4.51% respectively. US Treasury notes, on the other hand, saw a decline, with the 2 Year yield at 4.96% and the 10 Year yield at 4.63%.
Labour Day public holiday led to the closure of the markets in China, Hong Kong, and India.
Japanese shares closed lower due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the Fed's policy outlook amidst recent indications of strong inflation. Brokerage and shipping stocks, including Nomura Holdings and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, dragged the market down. The Nikkei Stock Average experienced a 0.3% decrease to 38274.05. Meanwhile, the 10-year Japanese government bond yield rose by 2 basis points to 0.890%.
In Europe, stocks in the U.K. also dipped, with the FTSE 100 Index falling 0.3% to 8121.24. Major companies such as Alphawave IP Group PLC and Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC saw significant declines. The Stoxx Europe 600 index also experienced a drop, falling by 0.79% to 504.31.