Hong Kong's share benchmark soared more than 6% on Wednesday as Asian shares tracked gains on Wall Street, the Associated Press reported. New Zealand's share benchmark rose 0.8% after its central bank hiked its benchmark interest rate to 3.5. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 6.0% to 18,108.69, catching up with gains elsewhere as markets reopened following a holiday Tuesday. Markets in mainland China remained closed for a holiday. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 0.5% to 27,138.99. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.7% to 6,815.70. Shares in Australia got a boost after the Reserve Bank of Australia ordered a smaller-than-expected 25 basis points interest rate hike on Tuesday. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.4% to 2,217.88. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude fell 16 cents to $86.39 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It surged $2.89 to 86.52 on Tuesday. Brent crude, the international standard for pricing, lost 8 cents to $91.72 a barrel. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 144.19 from 144.12 Japanese yen. The euro cost 99.69 cents, down from 99.87 cents.
