Shares mixed after Google parent Alphabet's earnings disappoint

After Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, reported quarterly earnings that fell short of investor expectations, Alphabet's shares experienced a significant drop of around 10% in after-hours trading. In contrast, Microsoft's shares rose nearly 3% following the release of earnings that exceeded anticipations. Wall Street indices, such as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, both saw slight gains of 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index increased by 0.3%. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year US Treasury noted a slight decrease to under 5.00%, following an initial rise to approximately 5.04%. The two-year Treasury yield steadied at 4.68%, down from above 4.77% earlier in the week. Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, experienced a 1.2% decline to $110.32 per barrel, still considerably higher than the pre-Iranian war level of around $72 per barrel.

The US dollar weakened against the Japanese yen and the euro. In other news, Federal Reserve officials maintained interest rates steady after their policy meeting, with a possible December hike in line with high inflation levels. The European Central Bank's meeting was expected to happen later on the same day, while the Bank of Japan was anticipated to maintain its stance during its policymaking session on Friday.

Japanese stocks, including the Nikkei 225, responded modestly to the US Federal Reserve's decision. Meanwhile, major South Korean and Australian indices saw declines, with Samsung Electronics' shares dropping 5.4% and Taiwan's Taiex index falling 1.9%.