Most Asia-Pacific markets declined on Thursday as investors anticipated a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in the coming month. Japan's Nikkei 225 index ended Thursday 1.45 per cent down at 42,649.26, reversing the record gains seen in the two previous sessions. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed 0.53 per cent higher at 8,873.80, slightly below its record high of 8,891.10 reached earlier in the day. Indian stocks remained stable around midday, with the Nifty 50 trading flat and the BSE Sensex up by 0.1 per cent at 11:48 a.m. IST (2:18 a.m. ET). Chinese and Hong Kong stocks had a mixed trading session on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index up 0.58 per cent and the mainland's CSI 300 remaining flat as of 9:32 a.m. local time (9:32 p.m. ET Wednesday). Attribution: CNBC Subediting: Y.Yasser
