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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Asian markets mixed after Fed comments | Asian markets mixed after Fed comments |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Shares in Asia were looking for direction on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged. | Shares in Asia were looking for direction on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged. |
| Comments released by the Fed were seen as increasing the chances of a US rate rise in December. | Comments released by the Fed were seen as increasing the chances of a US rate rise in December. |
| Japan's Nikkei 225 was choppy for much of the day, eventually closing up 0.17% at 18,935.71. | Japan's Nikkei 225 was choppy for much of the day, eventually closing up 0.17% at 18,935.71. |
| After disappointing profit numbers, shares in Nintendo fell as much as 10%, also weighing on the benchmark index. | After disappointing profit numbers, shares in Nintendo fell as much as 10%, also weighing on the benchmark index. |
| "The markets are as confused about direction as the US Federal Reserve is confused about interest rates," economist David Kuo from Motley Fool Singapore told the BBC. | "The markets are as confused about direction as the US Federal Reserve is confused about interest rates," economist David Kuo from Motley Fool Singapore told the BBC. |
| "Last night's lack of clarity as to when US interest rates could rise just added more confusion into the mix." | "Last night's lack of clarity as to when US interest rates could rise just added more confusion into the mix." |
| Hong Kong's Hang Seng index ended down 0.6% at 22,819.94, while the Shanghai Composite closed up 0.4% at 3,387.32. | |
| Investors were awaiting the release of growth targets for the 13th Five Year Plan, expected later in the day. | |
| Australia down | Australia down |
| In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed down 1.28% at 5,266.90 after spending much of the day in negative territory. | In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed down 1.28% at 5,266.90 after spending much of the day in negative territory. |
| The country's biggest supermarket chain, Woolworths, disappointed investors as it forecast a fall of up to 35% in net profits for the six months to December - sending its Sydney-listed shares down almost 10%. | The country's biggest supermarket chain, Woolworths, disappointed investors as it forecast a fall of up to 35% in net profits for the six months to December - sending its Sydney-listed shares down almost 10%. |
| Investor sentiment was down despite one of the country's biggest lenders, ANZ, posting a record annual cash profit of 7.2bn Australian dollars ($5.1bn; £3.34bn). | Investor sentiment was down despite one of the country's biggest lenders, ANZ, posting a record annual cash profit of 7.2bn Australian dollars ($5.1bn; £3.34bn). |
| Elsewhere, South Korea's benchmark Kospi index closed down 0.41% at 2,034.16. | Elsewhere, South Korea's benchmark Kospi index closed down 0.41% at 2,034.16. |
| Shares in electronics giant Samsung closed up more than 1% after the firm reported a rise in net profit of 28% for the three months to September. | Shares in electronics giant Samsung closed up more than 1% after the firm reported a rise in net profit of 28% for the three months to September. |
| "In the fourth quarter, the company expects earnings to decline from the earlier quarter, as it does not expect the foreign exchange rate to have a positive effect," Samsung said in a statement. The company also announced a share buyback programme equivalent to $10bn. | "In the fourth quarter, the company expects earnings to decline from the earlier quarter, as it does not expect the foreign exchange rate to have a positive effect," Samsung said in a statement. The company also announced a share buyback programme equivalent to $10bn. |