Singapore's FTSE Straits Times Index is 0.7% lower at 3751.79 in early trade. The Federal Reserve signaled plans to slow rate cuts next year, which led to a string of market reactions, including a stock selloff in the U.S., says Tai Hui, APAC chief market strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in an email. Asian markets today are expected to take U.S. markets' lead as the year-end approaches, the strategist adds. Among decliners, Thai Beverage falls 1.8% and Singtel sheds 2.2%. Meanwhile, Singapore Exchange rises 0.6% and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding adds 0.7%.