Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher

Most Asian stock markets rose Wednesday, tracking gains on Wall Street as investor optimism mounted ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve decision on whether to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 per cent to 18,106.91 and South Korea's Kospi added 1.9 per cent to 1,973.69. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.9 per cent to 21,647.18 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.5 per cent to 5,091.40. However, the Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China, where markets have been sliding since peaking in mid-June, turned negative, losing 0.5 per cent to 2,991.77. US benchmark crude rose 70 cents to $44.90. Brent crude added 10 cents to $48.63 a barrel. The dollar slipped to 120.18 yen from 120.43 yen in the previous trading session. The euro dropped to $1.1283 from $1.1309, according to AP.

--Shuvo--