Asian stocks rose and currencies edged higher as traders digested a rate pause by the Federal Reserve and shifted focus to a pair of central bank speeches taking place in the region.
Shares in Japan moved up after an earlier decline, helping the MSCI Asia Pacific Index gain around 0.2%.
Liquidity remains thin, with many of the region’s major equity markets — including those in Hong Kong, mainland China and South Korea — closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Investors in the region had plenty to digest from US trading hours — but none of it pointed to a clear direction for stocks.
The Fed’s decision to hold rates was widely expected, and earnings from International Business Machines Corp., Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Tesla Inc. sent mixed signals to investors.
That left traders looking for local events, with an afternoon speech by Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino coming into focus.
