Asian equity indices closed mixed on August 21, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 0.2 percent at 66,080.25 and South Korea's Kospi up 0.9 percent at 6,914.09. The U.S. Treasury had announced on August 19 plans to at least double purchases of longer-term government debt, with 10-year Treasury yields rising to 4.71 percent. Regional performance varied across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia, Taiwan, and India.