Asian stocks sank Thursday and the dollar advanced after the Federal Reserve indicated it could hike interest rates again this year and keep them elevated longer than feared as it struggles to bring inflation to heel.

With the world's number-one economy still in rude health and the labor market showing few signs of softening, central bank officials appeared confident they had enough room for further policy tightening without causing a recession, analysts said.

The Fed's much-anticipated meeting finished Wednesday with borrowing costs held at a two-decade high — as expected — but the board's "dot plot" guide to future rates pointed to another lift and just two cuts next year, instead of the four previously anticipated.

The hawkish tilt dealt a blow to sentiment among traders, who have feared more restrictive measures following a string of data showing that 11 hikes in 18 months were not having the desired impact on inflation, which is still well above the bank's two-percent target.

"We are prepared to raise rates further, if appropriate, and we intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we're confident that inflation is moving sustainably toward our objective," Fed chief Jerome Powell told reporters after the decision.

All three main indexes on Wall Street ended sharply lower, with the Nasdaq losing more than one percent as tech firms took a hit owing to their susceptibility to higher borrowing costs.

Asia followed suit. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, and Taipei all suffered selling.

SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes said while the Fed was "more self-assured that it can achieve a soft landing and that the economy can sustain higher rates for a longer period", traders wanted reassurance it could handle the tighter policy environment without significant pain.

"In the near term, there is a possibility of the opposite happening," he warned.

"Growth might soften in the fourth quarter due to factors such as the resumption of student loan repayments, the UAW (auto) strike, and a potential federal government shutdown.