Asian markets turn mixed with Warsh speech in focus

August 28, 2026 (MLN): Asian markets traded mostly lower on Friday, with investors turning cautious ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s closely watched speech at the Jackson Hole symposium.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.19%, while the broader Topix advanced 0.39%. In South Korea, the Kospi declined 1.16%, with the Kosdaq trading largely unchanged, according to CNBC.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.25%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index opened 0.32% lower. Mainland China’s CSI 300 also slipped 0.2%.

Investor attention is now firmly focused on Warsh’s keynote address at the Federal Reserve’s annual gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where markets will look for fresh indications regarding the outlook for the U.S. economy, monetary policy and interest rates.

The speech comes amid uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s next policy move. According to CME FedWatch data, futures markets are pricing in around a 64% probability that the central bank will keep interest rates unchanged at its meeting next month.

Overnight on Wall Street, U.S. stock futures traded near flat following a strong session on Thursday, when major indexes rallied on the back of Nvidia’s nearly 9% post-earnings surge.

Futures linked to the S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were also marginally lower.

Thursday’s rally pushed the technology sector, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to their strongest daily performance since August 4, leaving the three major U.S. indexes on track to end the week in positive territory.

A suitable headline would be: Asian markets mostly fall ahead of Warsh’s Jackson Hole speech.

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