Most Asian markets retreat as Fed crushes March rate cut hope

Most Asian equities fell Thursday, tracking a sell-off on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve poured cold water on hopes for a March interest rate cut.

The downbeat sentiment was compounded by disappointing earnings from US titans Microsoft and Alphabet, which pummelled the tech sector, while investors were also eyeing developments in the Evergrande crisis after its liquidation order by a Hong Kong court this week.