• Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, joining a record-setting session for global markets as investors cheered upbeat factory activity in Europe and solid earnings on Wall Street.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.6 percent, taking its cues from the world stock index rising to an all-time peak overnight.
• Japan's Nikkei share average was little changed on Wednesday, unable to extend a two-day winning run as the yen's retreat against the dollar halted and capped the broader market.
Trading was limited with investors staying on the sidelines as they awaited the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest meeting for clues on interest rate hikes.
The Nikkei closed down 0.01 percent at 19,379.87.
• China's main share indexes rose for a third day on Wednesday to approach three-month highs, though gains were capped as speculators sold some recently-listed financial sector stocks.
The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.2 percent, to 3,489.76 points. The Shanghai Composite Index also added 0.2 percent, to 3,261.22 points.
• Hong Kong stocks ended near 18-1/2-month highs on Wednesday, led by resource and property stocks, as sentiment was lifted by the city's firmer economic growth outlook and stronger China inflows.
The benchmark Hang Seng index ended 1.0 percent up at 24,201.96, the highest since Aug. 11 2015, while the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 1.2 percent, to 10,537.58.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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