Asian stocks today: Markets slip as Fed anxiety builds; HSI slips 1%, Nikkei sheds 16 points

Market Overview - Asian equities faced challenges, with Hong Kong's HSI declining by 1.1% to 25,481, losing 284 points. The Nikkei index fell by 0.06% to 50,550, while Shanghai and Shenzhen indices decreased by 0.27% and 0.37% respectively [3][5] - In the US, the S&P 500 dropped 0.3% to 6,846.51, marking its second decline in 11 sessions, yet remaining within 0.6% of its record peak in October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.4% to 47,739.32, and the Nasdaq composite was slightly lower at 23,545.90 [3][5] Company Focus - Nvidia's stock rose by 2.3% in extended trading after President Trump announced the approval of sales of its H200 chip, utilized in artificial intelligence development, to "approved customers" in China. This followed a 1.7% gain during the regular trading session [5][6] Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve is anticipated to cut interest rates in response to weakening employment indicators, with investors keenly awaiting guidance on rate movements for 2026. Inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target, leading to divided opinions among officials regarding the primary threat between price pressures and labor market risks [4][6] - Commodity prices showed slight movements, with US benchmark crude oil falling by 18 cents to $58.70 per barrel and Brent crude decreasing by 13 cents to $62.36. The dollar strengthened slightly against the yen, moving to 155.96 from 155.92, while the euro rose to $1.1646 from $1.1638 [4][6]