Investing.com - Asian stock markets were broadly higher during late Asian trade on Wednesday, as investors looked ahead of the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting later in the day.
During late Asian trade, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.8%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index ended up 0.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index closed up 2.3%.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei rallied to a 33-month high as investors bought up shares amid expectations Japanese companies will report strong earnings.
Shares in Yahoo Japan surged 17.1% after the internet company raised its full-year operating profit forecast and said it would buy back 1.4% of outstanding shares for JPY20 billion.
Mobile phone carrier Softbank saw shares jump 3.6% after the Nikkei reported the company could post a 10% gain for its April-December operating profit, as strong sales of the iPhone boosted revenue.
Also in earnings news, Central Japan Railway rallied 6.7% after reporting a 49% rise in nine-month net profit
The Nikkei has advanced nearly 26% since mid-November, when current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began calling for more aggressive monetary easing from the Bank of Japan.
Elsewhere, in Australia, the benchmark ASX/200 Index inched up to a fresh 21-month high, as sentiment continued to be supported by expectations the Reserve Bank of Australia will cut interest rates in the near-term.
Shares in global miners were higher, with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto up 1.2% and 1.5% respectively, while iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group tacked on 0.85%.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng climbed to the highest level since May 2011, as Chinese financials gained.
Insurance giants Ping An Insurance Group and China Life Insurance Group advanced 1.65% and 1.3% respectively, while China’s largest lender Industrial and Commercial Bank of China added 0.7%.
Looking ahead, European stock market futures pointed to a flat open, as caution set in ahead of the outcome of a Federal Reserve meeting and U.S. data on fourth quarter growth later in the day.
The EURO STOXX 50 futures pointed to a gain of 0.1% at the open, France’s CAC 40 futures eased down 0.1%, London’s FTSE 100 futures were little changed, while Germany's DAX futures pointed to a flat open.
Later Wednesday, Spain was to release preliminary data on fourth quarter growth, while the U.S. was to release data on ADP nonfarm payrolls.
During late Asian trade, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.8%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index ended up 0.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index closed up 2.3%.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei rallied to a 33-month high as investors bought up shares amid expectations Japanese companies will report strong earnings.
Shares in Yahoo Japan surged 17.1% after the internet company raised its full-year operating profit forecast and said it would buy back 1.4% of outstanding shares for JPY20 billion.
Mobile phone carrier Softbank saw shares jump 3.6% after the Nikkei reported the company could post a 10% gain for its April-December operating profit, as strong sales of the iPhone boosted revenue.
Also in earnings news, Central Japan Railway rallied 6.7% after reporting a 49% rise in nine-month net profit
The Nikkei has advanced nearly 26% since mid-November, when current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began calling for more aggressive monetary easing from the Bank of Japan.
Elsewhere, in Australia, the benchmark ASX/200 Index inched up to a fresh 21-month high, as sentiment continued to be supported by expectations the Reserve Bank of Australia will cut interest rates in the near-term.
Shares in global miners were higher, with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto up 1.2% and 1.5% respectively, while iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group tacked on 0.85%.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng climbed to the highest level since May 2011, as Chinese financials gained.
Insurance giants Ping An Insurance Group and China Life Insurance Group advanced 1.65% and 1.3% respectively, while China’s largest lender Industrial and Commercial Bank of China added 0.7%.
Looking ahead, European stock market futures pointed to a flat open, as caution set in ahead of the outcome of a Federal Reserve meeting and U.S. data on fourth quarter growth later in the day.
The EURO STOXX 50 futures pointed to a gain of 0.1% at the open, France’s CAC 40 futures eased down 0.1%, London’s FTSE 100 futures were little changed, while Germany's DAX futures pointed to a flat open.
Later Wednesday, Spain was to release preliminary data on fourth quarter growth, while the U.S. was to release data on ADP nonfarm payrolls.