Asian stock markets calm after
Photo: Eugene Hoshiko/AP/TT

Asian stock markets calm after Fed raises interest rates

The announcement of a US interest rate hike does not appear to have caused any further drama on Asia's major stock exchanges. Several indices are hovering around zero.

The US central bank, the Fed, announced on Wednesday evening Swedish time an increase in the key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 3.75-4.00 percent.

President Donald Trump, seemingly not entirely happy with the announcement, commented in capital letters that the interest rate should instead be lowered quickly and that the Fed is trying to portray him in a bad light.

Stock markets in Asia appear to be reacting more calmly. On the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan, the Nikkei 225 is up 0.1 percent and the Topix is up 0.7 percent. In South Korea, the Kospi is up 0.2 percent around lunchtime.

The Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China is down 0.1 percent while Shanghai is down 0.3 percent. Hong Kong-based Hang Seng is seeing slightly bigger moves and is down 1.1 percent.

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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