Asian stocks open mostly positive after Fed rate decision

Asian stocks opened on Thursday mixed between negative and positive, with the Japanese, New Zealand stocksو Hong Kong's Hang Seng and the South Korean Kospi index rose, while Australian and the Chinese stocks fell, which came after the US Federal Reserve decision to hold interest rates at between 1.50% and 1.75% following three cuts by 25 basis points during this year.

Most Fed's members expect that the bank's monetary policy will not change in the next year, and Fed chief Powell stated after the meeting that the central bank could potentially expand treasury bills purchasing program if necessary, to increase liquidity in the thirsty financial system.

Which came after the US Treasury Department launched a program in October of bill purchases of $60 billion per month, and the Federal Reserve praised the program amid forecasts that it will continue until the end of June next year, aimed at providing liquidity after interest rates in repo operations rose, leading the Fed to increase repo operations in the last two months, which is the purchase of bonds and short-term debt from banks and hedge funds to increase their funding reserves.

Otherwise, investors' focus turned to the European Central Bank meeting and the British general election, which is a very important step in Britain's exit file from the EU. The markets are also anticipating 

US-China trade talk news and developments, as the US deadline for imposing tariffs on Chinese imports worth $156 billion is approaching without reaching any results in the trade talks to complete the phase one of the trade deal, bearing in mind that the US Senator Chuck Grassley said yesterday that additional tariffs will not be imposed.

As for trading, Japanese stock indices were higher during today's session, as the Topix index rose by 0.05% or 0.92 point to 1,715.87, and Nikkei 225 index rose by 0.22% or 51.21 points to 23,443.07.

 While the Chinese stocks fell, as the CSI 300 index fell by 0.05% or 1.79 points to 3,900.96, and the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.05% or 1.40 points to 2,923.02.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose by 1.27% or 337.67 points to 26,983.10, and South Korea's Kospi rose 1.34% or 28.14 points to 2,133.76.

To New Zealand's NZX 50, which rose by 0.09% or 10.32 points to 11,302.28, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index fell by 0.64% or 43.53 points to 6,709.10.