Asian markets mixed as investors await U.S. election results, inflation data

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index drops 0.5% and Hang Seng drops 1.54% in Hong Kong. Asian markets mixed as investors await outcome of U.S. midterm elections and major inflation update. Wall Street’s benchmark index flips between big gains and a modest loss during the afternoon. The important milestone for markets this week will be Thursday’s inflation report, which will affect interest-rate hikes. The Fed is raising interest rates to get it under control by raising the economy by slowing it by making it more expensive to borrow money, raising the risk of a recession while raising a risk of raising a recession, economists are forecasting a sharp downturn in coming months as interest rate hikes mean tame inflation put the brakes on business activity. . . .