(MENAFN- Baystreet.ca) Stocks in Asia Pacific were mixed on Wednesday as investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, set to be released later stateside.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 tumbled 40.61 points, or 0.2%, to 21,690.71
Data showed Wednesday that Japan's exports fell 8.2% year-on-year in August, less than expectations of a 10.9% decrease by economists
The Japanese yen traded at 108.20 against the U.S. dollar after weakening from levels below 108.0 seen earlier in the trading week.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index docked 36.12 points, or 0.1%, to 26,754.12.
Anheuser-Busch InBev began taking orders in its second attempt to spin off its Asian business in Hong Kong on Wednesday, aiming to raise up to $6.6 billion U.S. in its Budweiser listing — what could be the world's second largest IPO this year. Budweiser APAC is set to price the IPO Sept. 23, and the stock will debut on Sept. 30, the company said in a statement.
The brewing giant said on Tuesday it would offer 1.3 billion shares at between HK$27 and HK$30 ($3.45 to $3.83 U.S.) apiece.
Australian stocks slipped 0.2%. Australian-listed shares of adventure goods retailer Kathmandu jumped 7.6% after the company reported a more than 13% year-on-year jump in its net profit after tax.
The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6842 after touching an earlier high of $0.6869.
In Australia, Santos slipped 1.7% and Woodside Petroleum declined 2.5% while Beach Energy added 0.8%. Japan's Inpex plunged 4.22% and South Korea's S-Oil shed 0.99%. Hong Kong-listed shares of Petrochina dropped 1.9%, and CNOOC declined 1.24%, as of their final hour of trading.
Investors awaited the Fed's latest decision on monetary policy, set to be released on Wednesday stateside. The U.S. central bank is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points. That would be its second rate cut of 2019.
In other markets
In China, the CSI 300 regained 18.86 points, or 0.5%, to 3,910.08
In Korea, the Kospi index gained 8.4 points, or 0.4%, to 2,070.73
In Taiwan, the Taiex Index acquired 54.95 points, or 0.5%, to 10,929.45
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index erased 16.16 points, or 0.5%, to 3,166.84.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 dumped 93.18 points, or 0.9%, to 10,774.85
In Australia, the ASX 200 subtracted 13.66 points, or 0.2%, to 6,681.59
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