CNBC Asian Markets at Close Report on December 3, 2014: Asia stocks mostly higher; Japan, Shanghai at fresh multi-year highs
Asia stocks mostly higher; Japan, Shanghai at fresh multi-year highs Asian equities were mostly higher on Wednesday, with indices in Japan and Shanghai ending at fresh multi-year highs. A record finish on Wall Street overnight boosted sentiment in the region. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to a record finish on Tuesday after data showed November U.S. auto sales clocked their best month since 2003. Higher oil prices also contributed to gains. U.S. oil and Brent crude both rebounded nearly $1 in Asian trade in what has been an extremely volatile week for oil markets. Investors also digested data showing Beijing's official non-manufacturing PMI figure rising to 53.9 in November, a touch higher than October's nine-month low of 53.8. Read More This is what will have the market's attention Attention now turns to a raft of U.S. data later on Wednesday, including the ADP report on private payrolls, the ISM non-manufacturing survey and the Federal Re