- Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial set for May 2025
- Bolivia stun Colombia in World Cup qualifiers
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- Greece earn late win against England in Nations League, Italy-Belgium stalemate
- Trump biopic 'The Apprentice' hits US theaters weeks before election
- Pavlidis dedicates 'special' Greece win over England to tragic Baldock
- Wall Street stocks retreat from records on US inflation data
- 'Like a quake': Beirut shaken after deadliest strikes on centre
- Fallen giants Ghana in AFCON trouble after Sudan draw
- Asian leaders meet in Laos with US, Russia on world turmoil
- England gamble backfires as Pavlidis fires emotional Greece to victory
- Obama stumps for Harris, Trump talks US protectionism
- New-look France ease past Israel in Nations League
- Belgium fight back to draw with 10-man Italy in Nations League
- 'Get a life': Hurricane whips up US election storm
- Japan stay perfect in World Cup qualifying
- Relief as Lebanon evacuees dock in Turkey
- Lebanon says 22 dead in Israeli strikes on central Beirut
- NBA boss Silver sees games back in China 'at some point'
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Table tennis and Netflix push Ukraine teen into French Open contention
- Civilians flee Gaza's Jabalia in tightening Israeli siege
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 18
- At least 10 dead in Florida from tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton
- Warhol's rare 'Queen' collection opens at Dutch museum
- Three-time NBA champion Green retires
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- S.Sudan floods affect 893,000, over 241,000 displaced: UN
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- Windies sweat on injury to 'crucial' Taylor at World Cup
- Lebanon says 11 dead, 48 injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
- Panama lashes out at EU over tax haven 'outrage'
- Erdogan says Gaza 'shame of humanity', calls for permanent ceasfire
- TD Bank to pay more than $3 bn to US in money-laundering case
- SAfrica prosecutors drop criminal complaint against president
- 'Good opportunity': Nagelsmann upbeat despite Germany's long injury list
- Hurricane whips up bitter US election battle
- Cameroon bans media talk of president's health amid rumours
- NFL MVP Jackson and rookie phenom Daniels set for showdown
- Chad's capital under threat as floodwaters rise
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
- No answers on strike on reporters in Lebanon one year on: watchdog
- Ramharack picks four wickets as Windies beat Bangladesh in Women's T20 World Cup
- France's City of Light switches to climate-resilient power cables
- Djokovic hails Nadal 'legacy' as Alcaraz in 'shock' over retirement
- Obama hits campaign trail for Harris
- Delta eyes Election Day travel pullback as profits climb
- Djokovic tells Nadal: 'Your legacy will live forever'
- Ethel Kennedy, wife of RFK, dead at 96
- Zelensky denies ceasefire with Russia under discussion on trip
Asian markets mixed after Fed official floats rate cut delay
Asian investors trod carefully Thursday after a Federal Reserve official floated the idea of delaying or reducing interest rate cuts, while the yen held gains having briefly hit a 34-year low the day before.
A recent market rally has started to peter out as traders assess the outlook for US monetary policy, with a string of above-forecast inflation and economic data leading some to question whether the central bank can stick to its projection of three cuts this year.
Confidence has not been helped by comments from Fed officials in the past week.
Atlanta president Raphael Bostic on Monday reiterated his comments from Friday that he saw only one cut this year, adding that acting too quickly could be disruptive, while governor Lisa Cook said decision-makers should be cautious.
The latest was Fed governor Christopher Waller, who told a conference in New York that "it is appropriate to reduce the overall number of rate cuts or push them further into the future in response to the recent data".
"We made a lot of headway in reducing inflation in the past year or so, although the readings in the past two months have been disappointing," Waller said.
"Shorter-term inflation measures are now telling me that progress has slowed and may have stalled. But we will need more data to know that," he added.
His remarks came ahead of the release Friday of the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index -- the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation -- which is expected to show a slight uptick.
Despite the worries, all three main indexes on Wall Street rose, with the S&P 500 clocking another record high.
Asia, however, was mixed, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Wellington rising, while Singapore, Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta fell.
Tokyo was down more than one percent as the yen stabilises after hitting 151.97 per dollar Wednesday, its weakest level since 1990 following comments from a Bank of Japan official warning monetary policy would remain accommodative for some time.
That comment came a week after the bank lifted interest rates for the first time in 17 years as it shifts away from its long-running ultra-loose monetary policy.
The slide has fuelled speculation authorities will step in to support the unit, with Vice Finance Minister Masato Kanda warning that he was ready to do whatever was necessary.
"Markets will be braced all day... for BoJ intervention," said National Australia Bank's Ray Attrill.
"It’s unlikely anyone will pay 152.01 yen for ( a dollar Thursday) because of this risk, but in the absence of intervention before the weekend, we strongly suspect someone will next week."
- Key figures around 0230 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 40,283.44 (break)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.6 percent at 16,488.66
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 3,005.07
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 151.32 yen from 151.34 yen on Wednesday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0824 from $1.0831
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2633 from $1.2641
Euro/pound: UP at 85.68 pence from 85.66 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $81.93 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.5 percent at $86.54 per barrel
New York - Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 39,760.08 (close)
London - FTSE 100: FLAT at 7,931.98 (close)
D.Kaufman--AMWN