SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian stocks rose on Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street, with Japan’s Nikkei reaching a fresh 5-1/2 year high and clinging to its gains as the Bank of Japan stood pat after unleashing massive stimulus last month.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.1 percent, reversing some of Tuesday’s 0.4 percent decline. The South Korean market .KS11 climbed 0.8 percent.

SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) – “Will he or won’t he?” is the
question investors want answered at Wednesday’s Congressional
testimony by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, as suspense
builds on whether the Fed will soon start tapering its
bond-buying stimulus scheme – as hinted at by a Fed regional
president last week.

The dollar inched higher versus a basket of currencies on
Tuesday but stayed below a three-year high, as investors ponder
if Bernanke might reveal the timing of any wind-down at his
appearance before the Joint Economic Committee before Congress
takes its Memorial Day recess.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar nursed losses versus a basket of currencies on Tuesday, having retreated the previous day as traders pared back expectations that U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke would hint at tapering bond buying this week.

The market’s focus is shifting to Bernanke’s testimony to Congress on Wednesday after recent comments by Fed officials fuelled speculation the U.S. central bank may trim its bond purchases sooner than expected.

SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) – The dollar nursed losses
versus a basket of currencies on Tuesday, having retreated the
previous day as traders pared back expectations that U.S.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke would hint at tapering
bond buying this week.

The market’s focus is shifting to Bernanke’s testimony to
Congress on Wednesday after recent comments by Fed officials
fuelled speculation the U.S. central bank may trim its bond
purchases sooner than expected.

SINGAPORE, May 20 (Reuters) – The yen edged higher on Monday
after Japan’s economics minister said further weakness in the
yen could harm households, while Asian shares rose in response
to U.S. equities rallying on upbeat economic data.

European shares were seen rising at the open on Monday.
Financial spreadbetter IG expected Britain’s FTSE 100 to
open 0.3 percent higher, Germany’s DAX to open 0.7
percent higher, and France’s CAC 40 to gain 0.5 percent.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The yen edged higher on Monday after Japan’s economics minister said further weakness in the yen could harm households, while Asian shares rose in response to U.S. equities rallying on upbeat economic data.

The dollar fell to as low as 102.00 yen earlier on Monday, pulling away from Friday’s high of 103.32 yen, the greenback’s highest level versus the yen since October 2008.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The yen pulled up from a 4-1/2 year low against the dollar on Monday after Japan’s economics minister said a further steady drop in the yen could have negative effects on households, pushing the dollar to a low of 102.00.

“People say the excessively strong yen has corrected quite a bit. If the yen continues to weaken steadily from here, negative effects on people’s lives will emerge,” Economics Minister Akira Amari told a Sunday talk show – sparking some buying back of the yen in a thin market.

SINGAPORE, May 17 (Reuters) – The dollar held firm near a
10-month high versus a basket of currencies on Friday after a
regional Federal Reserve chief said the U.S. central bank may
begin to taper its asset buying this summer, while Asian shares
were mixed.

European stock index futures pointed to a lower open on
Friday. At 0604 GMT, futures for Euro STOXX 50,
Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC were 0.1 to 0.4
percent lower.

SINGAPORE, May 17 (Reuters) – The dollar held firm near a
10-month high versus a basket of currencies on Friday after a
U.S. Federal Reserve official said the central bank may begin to
taper its asset buying this summer, while Asian shares were
mixed.

U.S. equities had sagged on Thursday after John Williams,
president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, said the
Fed could begin easing back on the monetary gas pedal this
summer and end bond buying late this year.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Japanese shares slipped and Asian equities were broadly steady on Friday after a U.S. Federal Reserve official said the central bank may begin to taper its asset buying this summer, lending support to the dollar.

U.S. equities sagged on Thursday after John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, said the Fed could begin easing back on the monetary gas pedal this summer and end bond buying late this year.