Global Central Banks Hold Rates Amid Iran War-Driven Energy Price Surge 
Bank of Japan Officials Signal Continued Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Concerns 
Fed Rate Cut Hopes Fade as Oil Prices Stoke Inflation Fears 
Goldman Sachs Delays Bank of England Rate Cut Forecast Amid Middle East Inflation Risks 
Fed Holds Rates Steady as Middle East Conflict Clouds Inflation Outlook 
Goldman Sachs Raises ECB Rate Hike Forecast Amid Persistent Energy-Driven Inflation 
RBA Set for Back-to-Back Rate Hikes, Westpac Forecasts 
ANZ and Westpac Forecast Two RBA Rate Hikes in March and May 2026 
Bank of Japan Expected to Hold Rates at 0.75% Before June Hike Amid Middle East War Uncertainty 
Asian markets continue to move higher on Wednesday but Japanese market was trading almost flat to negative. On the data front from China, PBoC devalued the currency around 0.2% as PBoC sets Yuan fix lower.
The USD/CNY fix was set at 6.5237 on Wednesday compared with 6.5130 a day earlier, a devaluation of 0.2%.
The Nikkei 225 index was trading 0.19% lower to 16,028.09 points in Tokyo, while the broader Topix gauge slipped 0.11% to trade at 1,295.47 points.
Mainland China's Shanghai Composite index grew 0.67% to 2,855.55 points, while Hong Kong's Heng Seng index also rose 0.36%, trading at 19,190.96 points.
South Korea's Kospi index was trading 0.05% higher to 1,889.18 points in early trade.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index slid 0.23% to 4,898.50 points before midday in Sydney.
New Zealand S&P/NZX 50 index gained 0.38% to trade at 6,098.32 points.
