"Bank of Japan Maintains Ultra-Easy Monetary Policy, Asian Markets React"

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed as investors reacted to the Bank of Japan's decision to keep its monetary policy unchanged, maintaining a negative interest rate of -0.1% and its yield curve control policy. The yen weakened against the dollar after the announcement. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia considered raising rates but ultimately decided to hold them steady at 4.35%. In other news, Nippon Steel's shares fell after announcing a deal to acquire U.S. Steel, and oil prices rose due to shipping disruptions in the Red Sea. Additionally, a Chicago Fed official expressed confusion over the market's reaction to the central bank's recent update, and Bernstein warned that tech stocks could face increased pressure in 2024.