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Asia stocks drift, dollar company as Fed rate path considered

Asian stocks did not have instructions on Wednesday, while the dollar remained firm regardless of lower U.S. Treasury yields as markets assessed combined signals from U.S. policymakers and financial data on the path for Federal Reserve rate of interest.

The yen remained on the back foot even with the risk of currency intervention from Japanese authorities to support it.

Petroleum hovered near two-month lows amid indications of easing supply pressure and continued hopes for a Middle East ceasefire.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan moved 0.19%, weighed down partially by declines from mainland Chinese blue chips. Nevertheless, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.52%.

Japan's Nikkei slumped about 1% as traders took revenues following the previous session's 1.6% surge. The tech-heavy index also caught push from a sell-off in U.S. chip stocks on Tuesday.

U.S. stock futures were flat.

The yen slipped 0.16% to 154.94 per dollar, even as Japan's Financing Minister Shunichi Suzuki expressed deep issue over the negative impact of a weak currency and repeated a preparedness to respond to extreme volatility.

The U.S. dollar index - which determines the currency versus the yen, euro, sterling and 3 other significant peers - rose 0.09% to 105.51, adding to Tuesday's 0.3% advance.

The euro edged down 0.12% to $1.07325 and sterling lost 0.14% to $1.24915.

On Tuesday, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari suggested the U.S. reserve bank might need to give up rates of interest cuts this year due to stubborn inflation.

Recently, Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated the wait to loosen policy is taking longer than expected, but signalled his disposition is still to cut.

And while rates have been sticky, the labour market revealed some indications of weakening in the month-to-month payrolls information from Friday. Consumer rate data in a week from now will be closely seen.

Argument continues within markets and among policymakers about the suitable level for rates of interest, Kyle Rodda, senior monetary markets expert at Capital.com, wrote in a. report.

An absence of significant U.S. economic data in the days ahead. ( means) there was little to position for or react to, he added. For now, the marketplaces see partially higher chances for two cuts. in the U.S. this year, with the first totally baked in for. November.

U.S. long-term Treasury yields stood at 4.4651%. in Asian trading, after dipping to an almost one-month low of. 4.42% on Tuesday.

Gold slipped 0.16% to around $2,310 per ounce.

Crude oil extended Tuesday's declines after market sources. said that information due later from the American Petroleum Institute. will reveal a jump in U.S. crude and fuel stocks for recently, a. sign of lower need.

Meanwhile, the U.S. thinks negotiations on a Gaza. ceasefire must have the ability to close the gaps in between Israel and. Hamas, reducing the threats of supply interruptions.

Brent crude oil futures fell 32 cents, or 0.38%, to. $ 82.84 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate unrefined futures. fell 28 cents, or 0.36%, to $78.10 a barrel.

(source: Reuters)