A screen showing the Shanghai composite index (top), Shenzhen component index (C) and Beijing stock exchange 50 index (bottom) in Jing’an district in Shanghai on April 9, 2025.
Hector Retamal | Afp | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed after the U.S. Federal Reserve expectedly kept rates unchanged.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 opened 0.28% higher, while the Topix was flat. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.36% while the Kosdaq advanced 0.61%. Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.14%.
Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 22,466, higher than HSI’s last close of 22,691.88.
The Federal Open Market Committee held its benchmark overnight borrowing rate in a range between 4.25% to 4.5%, where it has been since December. The decision was largely expected.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned in his press conference that if the significant tariff hikes already announced remain at current levels, they could lead to a slowdown in economic growth and an uptick in long-term inflation.
Investors are also eagerly waiting for updates on the upcoming U.S.-China trade talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his Chinese counterpart are set to meet in Switzerland this week to address trade and economic issues.
U.S. futures were relatively unchanged on the heels of the expected Federal Reserve’s decision even as it highlighted rising inflation and unemployment risks.
S&P 500 futures traded down by 0.1%, along with Nasdaq-100 futures. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 42 points, or 0.1%.
Overnight stateside, the three major averages closed higher. The S&P 500 rose during choppy trading, adding 0.43% to close at 5,631.28 while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.27% to end at 17,738.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 284.97 points, or 0.70%, and settled at 41,113.97.
— CNBC’s Pia Singh and Alex Harring contributed to this report.