On Wednesday, Asia-Pacific markets exhibited a mixed performance as investors analyzed China’s inflation figures while anticipating the Federal Reserve’s decision regarding interest rates. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was last trading 0.22% higher, while mainland China’s CSI 300 closed 0.14% lower at 4,591.83 after China’s consumer prices edged up 0.7% from a year earlier, marking its highest level since February last year. The increase followed a 0.2% rise in October and aligned with the 0.7% gain.

In November, factory-gate prices experienced a decline of 2.2% compared to the previous year, falling short of the anticipated 2% decrease and marking the continuation of deflationary pressures into the fourth consecutive year. This represents a contrast to the 2.1% decline observed in October. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 exhibited minimal variation, resting at 8,579.4. Japan’s Nikkei 225 experienced a decline of 0.1%, settling at 50,602.8, whereas the Topix recorded an increase of 0.12%, reaching 3,389.02. South Korea’s Kospi experienced a decrease of 0.21%, settling at 4,135, whereas the small-cap Kosdaq saw an increase of 0.39%, reaching 935.

Market participants are anticipating the Federal Reserve’s highly scrutinized interest rate announcement on Wednesday in the United States, marking the last such decision of the year. Market participants predominantly anticipate that the Federal Reserve will reduce its benchmark overnight lending rate by an additional 0.25 percentage point, consistent with the reductions implemented in September and October.

Overnight in the U.S., the S&P 500 exhibited minimal movement, closing relatively unchanged. The broad market index hovered near the flatline, declining by 0.09% to finish at 6,840.51, whereas the Nasdaq Composite experienced a modest increase of 0.13%, concluding the day at 23,576.49. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 179.03 points, representing a decrease of 0.38%, closing at 47,560.29. The 30-stock index experienced a downturn, primarily influenced by a decrease in JPMorgan shares, attributed to elevated 2026 expense projections that surpassed expectations.