Stock Asia shows for the most part a drop to 1.2%. Only China's Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite indexes showed a slight increase, up 0.18% and 0.02%, respectively. All other indexes declined: Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.8%, Korea's KOSPI sank 0.88%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.98%, and Japan's Nikkei 225 shed a little more, 1.19%.
Asian indices traditionally follow the American ones, which on the eve showed an even greater decline - by 2-2.6%.
Investors are waiting for the speech of the head of the US Federal Reserve, which will be able to shed light on the further policy of the central regulator regarding the increase in interest rates. The continuing growth of inflation, as well as the possibility of a potential economic downturn create a negative background for trading participants. These risks continue to have a fairly strong impact on investor sentiment, despite yesterday's decision by China's central bank to cut interest rates on loans.
The previous increase in stock indicators was due to overly positive expectations of market participants regarding the easing of the Fed's monetary policy against the backdrop of a slight decrease in inflation. However, all the positive investors vanished after the publication of the results of the Fed meeting in July.
At the same time, Japan registered a decrease in the indicator of purchasing managers in the industrial sector this month to 51 points from the July value of 52.1 points. This level of this indicator has become minimal over the past more than a year and a half.
In the service sector, there is also a decrease in the indicator from the July mark of 50.3 points to 49.2 points. It is worth noting that the indicator fell below the level of 50 points for the first time in almost six months.
The consolidated indicator in the current month was also lower than in July: 48.9 points against 50.2 points.
The largest share price decline among Japanese companies was registered by Hino Motors, Ltd (-6%), Nexon, Co., Ltd (-3.9%), and Denso Corp (-3.3%).
Among the components of the Hang Seng Index, the most significant decrease in the share price was shown by Geely Automobile Holdings, which fell by 6.7%, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd., which lost 4.5%, as well as Techtronic Industries Co., Ltd., which sank 4.4%.
Among Korean companies, only the share price of Samsung Electronics, Co. went down - its securities lost 1.3%, while the share price of Hyundai Motor, Co. remained unchanged.
Among the components of the Australian S&P/ASX 200, there is no single dynamics: BHP's share price rose by 0.4%, while Rio Tinto's share price decreased by 0.5%.