Asian markets closed mixed as investors processed the Fed's first rate increase in three years, with the timing and magnitude filtering through regional trading. Taiwan's Taiex led regional gains, propelled by strong AI hardware demand and semiconductor sector strength tied to data center expansion.
Japan's market posted gains despite the rate-hike headwind, supported by a weaker yen that boosts exporter competitiveness and lower oil prices that ease input costs. The currency movement reflects how the Fed's tightening can paradoxically help Asian exporters if it weakens the dollar relative to other major currencies.
Traders are now bracing for the Bank of Japan's policy decision tomorrow, where expectations center on a potential hike to combat inflation. The BOJ's move would signal regional monetary tightening moving beyond the Fed's initial step, compressing yield differentials that have favored yen-carry trades.
The mixed Asian close underscores how regional economies face divergent pressures: semiconductor demand pulling markets higher, while rate-hike expectations and inflation create headwinds for bonds and currency stability. Taiwan's outperformance reflects direct beneficiary status in the AI infrastructure buildout, while Japan's resilience hinges on currency effects offsetting rate-hike pressure.