Asian stock markets keep gains as markets focus on US monetary plans

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - Asia's major stock markets closed Wednesday with gains as investors focused on the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) plans for possible tapering of asset purchases.

On Friday, Fed chief Jerome Powell is scheduled to address the annual Jackson Hole symposium in Wyoming on US monetary plans.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) spent most of the day near flat, but was last up 0.34% and about 4% higher so far this week.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, posted a 0.13% decrease, or 33.97 points, to some 25,693 on Wednesday.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, gained 0.26% or 10.04 points to close at 3,878.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange decreased 7.3 points, or 0.13%, to 27,724.

China's Shanghai stock exchange added 25.91 points, or 0.74%, to reach 3,540 points.