Asian shares track Wall Street rallies as a US interest rate cut next week looks more certain

Market Overview - Asian shares rose, influenced by Wall Street's record-setting performance, as mixed U.S. data increased expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut to stimulate the economy [1][3] - Japan's Nikkei 225 reached an intra-day high, rising 0.9% to 44,781.09, with notable gains in semiconductor companies like Tokyo Electron and Sony Group [2] - The S&P 500 increased by 0.8%, marking an all-time high for the third consecutive day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 617 points (1.4%) and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.7% [4] Economic Indicators - A report indicated that U.S. inflation rose by 2.9% in August compared to the previous year, slightly up from July's 2.7% rate, which may influence the Fed's decision on interest rates [6] - The job market's performance is seen as a critical factor for the Fed, with a need for it to weaken enough to justify a rate cut without triggering a recession [5] Sector Performance - Stocks of companies likely to benefit from lower interest rates, such as real estate and homebuilders, experienced rallies on Wall Street [7] - In Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.5% due to reports of potential state bank support for local governments, while the Kospi in Seoul climbed 1.3% [2]