Asia-Pacific markets advance on Wednesday, mirroring global sentiment as investors braced for the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision, with the central bank widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged.

Asian shares are mostly higher in muted trading after the U.S. Federal Reserve opted not to cut interest rates for the first time since it began trying to help the economy through lower rates in Septe

Many of the region’s biggest equity markets — including those in Hong Kong, mainland China and South Korea — are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Asian stocks were poised to track their US peers lower on Thursday after the Federal Reserve held rates unchanged as expected, with Chair Jerome Powell saying officials were not in a hurry to lower rates.

Live market coverage co-anchored from Hong Kong and New York. Overnight on Wall Street is daytime in Asia. Markets never sleep, and neither does Bloomberg.

Live market coverage co-anchored from Hong Kong and New York. Overnight on Wall Street is daytime in Asia. Markets never sleep, and neither does Bloomberg.

The yen made broad gains on Thursday as Japan looks on track to keep raising interest rates as others cut, with the European Central Bank seen certain to deliver just the latest in a string of easings today.

Shares in Japan opened slightly lower, weighing down a gauge of Asian equities despite a small gain for shares in Australia. Many of the region’s equity markets including China, South Korea and Taiwan remained closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Rising tariff risks, a potential Sputnik moment in tech and looming holidays have left hedge funds and other currency traders across Asia unsure of just what bets to make, according to market participants.

According to Daniel Ghali, a senior commodity strategist at TD Securities, last week's gold price surge was driven by the return of Asia’s so-called