Created: 9/23/2009 6:49:46 AM 
BANGKOK (AP) -- The months long rally on Asian stock markets is sputtering as investors wait for clues from the U.S. Federal Reserve about the global recovery's strength.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.4 percent, at 21,608.26. Benchmark indexes in South Korea, China, Singapore and India were also down, but all by less than half a percent. Australia's benchmark gained 1.5 percent. and China's Shanghai index shed 0.3 percent.
Japan's market was closed for a national holiday.
Oil prices have been hovering above $71 a barrel.
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