China A-share agriculture sector rebounded after volatile trading; Wanxiang Denong hit the daily limit, while Fujian Jinsen, Tianshan Bio, Qiule Seed and Shennong Seed also advanced.

Most Wall Street investors and Washington Fed watchers now expect the Fed to raise rates at this week's meeting, but a minority of economists warn a hike could be a serious policy error. Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said the probability of a major Fed policy mistake is worryingly high and rising, arguing it is difficult to slow growth without layoffs, higher unemployment or a self-reinforcing negative cycle. Steve Englander, head of G10 FX research at Standard Chartered, called a hike premature given contradictory signals in inf data and said the Fed should stand pat until those signals weaken; a hike followed by a reversal to cuts within months would signal very unstable decision-making. Michael Pearce, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said near-term odds of a hike have risen but the September decision remains finely balanced; he still expects the Fed to hold rates unchanged.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HSI) closed down 250.36 points (-1.0%) at 24,667.24 on Sept. 15 (Tue). The Hang Seng Tech Index fell 26.6 points (-0.62%) to 4,291.34; the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) dropped 79.67 points (-0.96%) to 8,204.91; the Hang Seng China‑Red Chip Index slipped 61.52 points (-1.49%) to 4,068.59.