Asian stock markets ended the Thursday trading mixed, reacting to comments from Fed Chairman, Janet Yellen, and local news.
Japan's Nikkei rose by 1 % due to the dollar strengthening against the yen after Yellen hint to increase interest rates in December.
Yellen, on Wednesday, made it clear that the United States, in her view, is ready to raise interest rates. The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, William Dudley, agreed with her, saying that a rate hike in December is possible.
Shares of three companies owned by Japan Post, rose the second day in a row: Japan Post Insurance Co - by 13.4 %, Japan Post Bank Co - by 6.2 %, and Japan Post Holdings Co - by 3.4 %.
"Japan Post shares are in demand, as investors are attracted by their high yield" - said the chief portfolio manager of Commons Asset Management, Takatoshi Itoshima.
Shares of airbags maker - Takata Corp fell 25.2 %, because one of the biggest customers - Honda Motor Co, said it will stop to use pumps for the front airbags made by Takata. Quotes of Honda Motor fell 1.8 % as the investment firm CLSA has changed the company's rating to a lower level.
South Korean index - Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 0.2 % due to sales of shares by foreign investors after a three-day growth of the market. Quotes of the shipbuilding companies decreased: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd fell 2.2 % and Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd decreased by 3.6 %.
Index of Hong Kong Stock Exchange - Hang Seng lost 0.01 %, while the index of Chinese companies traded in Hong Kong, rose 0.5 %.
The index of the Shanghai Stock Exchange - Shanghai Composite rose 1.9 %, while the index of the largest companies traded in Shanghai and Shenzhen, CSI300 rose 2.1 %.