World markets mixed as Fed confusion reigns "Most analysts still expect tapering to start in September, or at the bare minimum a September announcement and implementation through October and November," said Stan Shamu, market strategist of IG in Melbourne, Australia. The FTSE 100 is up 0.81pc, the Cac in France has risen 0.98pc and Germany's Dax has climbed 1.04pc. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.3pc to 13,380.28. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 0.5pc to 21,701.22. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.9pc to 1,849.39. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.6pc to 5,068.70. The benchmark index in the Philippines sank 5.8pc, catching up with earlier losses in regional markets after being closed due to flooding that submerged large parts of the capital Manila. Mainland Chinese shares rose after a private manufacturing survey showed growth in factory output in the world's number two economy. HSBC said the preliminary version of its monthly purchasing managers' index for August rose to 50.1 from July's 47.7, where a reading above 50 indicates an expansion in activity. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.2 percent to 2,077.23. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 0.4 percent to 1,007.87. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average fell for a sixth day in a row, its longest losing streak in more than a year. The index fell 0.7 percent to finish at 14,897.55. The S&P 500 lost 0.6 percent to 1,642.80. The Nasdaq lost 0.4 percent to 3,599.79. Benchmark oil for October delivery was down 6 cents to $103.79 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.26 to close at $103.85 per barrel on the Nymex on Wednesday. In currencies, the euro fell to $1.3336 from $1.3342 late Wednesday. The dollar rose to 98.32 yen from 97.76 yen.