In Asian Equity Markets indices were broadly lower on Friday. The Nikkei 225 in Japan saw a continued downward slide on Friday after declining by more than 2.5 percent in the previous trading session. In early trade, the benchmark index fell 0.58 percent. The Nikkei had already hit a 15-month low on Thursday when the U.S. Federal Reserve largely retained plans to increase interest rates despite mounting risks to growth. Over in South Korea, the Kospi traded lower by 0.17 percent. In Australia, the ASX 200 lost its earlier gains to trade fractionally lower.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar hovered near a one-month low against its peers on Friday, weighed down by a subdued outlook toward U.S. interest rates and the economy, while risk aversion in the broader markets boosted the yen. The euro was 0.15 percent higher at $1.1460 after nudging up to a 1-1/2-month peak of $1.1486 the previous day. The single currency was headed for a 1.4 percent gain on the week. The pound inched up 0.1 percent to $1.2669. The dollar stood little changed at 111.25 yen after falling to 110.815 overnight, its weakest since Sept. 6.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell about 5 percent on Thursday, hitting their lowest level in more than a year on worries about oversupply and the outlook for energy demand as a U.S. interest rate rise knocked stock markets. Brent crude futures fell $2.89, or 5.05 percent, to settle at $54.35 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $2.29, or 4.75 percent, to settle at $45.88 a barrel. Brent hit a session low of $54.28 a barrel, its lowest price since mid-September 2017, while WTI fell to $45.67, its lowest price since late August 2017.

In US Equity Markets stocks slid on Thursday, with the Nasdaq on the cusp of confirming bear market territory, as the Federal Reserve’s plan to continue its balance sheet reduction and the threat of a partial government shutdown fueled investor anxieties. The S&P 500 lost 1.58 percent, to 2,467.42 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.63 percent, to 6,528.41. Nike Inc shares dropped 2.1 percent ahead of the athletic footwear company’s quarterly results. In after-hours trading, however, Nike shares jumped more than 7 percent following the company’s report.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields fell to more than eight-month lows on Thursday, and the yield curve flattened, as investors evaluated the Federal Reserve’s moves to tighten monetary policy. The U.S. central bank on Wednesday took a more dovish tone than in its previous meetings, but stuck by a plan to keep withdrawing support from an economy it views as strong. Benchmark 10-year yields fell as low as 2.748 percent on Thursday, the lowest since April 4. The yields have fallen from a seven-year high of 3.261 percent on Oct. 9.