Asian shares have mostly advanced after Wall Street ticked higher amid hopes that Japan's moves to keep interest rates easy for investors could augur similar trends in the rest of the world. U.S. futures rose while oil prices were virtually unchanged after two days of gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Tuesday and is just shy of its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.7%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was one of the world’s biggest winners after its central bank decided to keep its benchmark rate below zero in hopes of encouraging more borrowing and spending. Hopes are building that the Federal Reserve may cut U.S. interest rates several times next year.
