Asian markets calm ahead of Fed policy review
Asian markets are having an indecisive day ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy review. Investors are keeping a close eye on the Ukraine situation but tensions appear to have cooled for the time being after Vladimir Putin's comments that Russia did not intend to annexe any other parts of Ukraine.
However, Western leaders have promised further actions sanctions for later this week.
Investors are expecting the Fed to continue with tapering its monthly asset purchases and possibly alter its approach to signal that rates will remain low for some time, even if unemployment falls to 6.5 per cent.
The Nikkei is up 0.8 per cent while the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index is suffering declines of 0.1 per cent. South Korea's Kospi is down a more modest 0.04 per cent while the Tokyo Stock Exchange Tokyo Price Index has made gains of 0.3 per cent. The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index is down 0.6 per cent.