Japan Stocks Slip as Investors Await Fed Decision
Japan shares edged lower on Wednesday, tracking US losses, as investors adjusted portfolios ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate decision and 2024 outlook.
The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.72%, or 282.97 points, to end at 39,081.71.
The Fed is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, but the focus has shifted to its economic projections and Chair Jerome Powell's comments on the outlook for 2024.
Markets are weighing growth-stimulating policies from the incoming Trump administration against persistent inflation. Mixed U.S. data, including strong retail sales and weaker-than-expected industrial production, has added to the cautious sentiment.
In economic updates, Japan's trade deficit narrowed sharply to 117.6 billion yen in November from 813.9 billion yen a year earlier, supported by modest export growth and a weaker yen, according to Ministry of Finance data.
Source : MT Newswires