Asian shares mostly higher after US Fed signals on low rates

Asian shares are mostly higher as investors interpreted comments from the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve as signaling low interest rates were here to stay for some time

TOKYO -- Asian shares were mostly higher Monday, as investors interpreted comments from the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve as signaling low interest rates were here to stay for some time. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2% in morning trading to 27,686.18. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose nearly 0.1% to 7,494.10. South Korea's Kospi was virtually unchanged at 3,133.72. Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 0.3% to 25,344.79, while the Shanghai Composite stood at 3,535.19, up 0.4%. Regional investors are also looking ahead to data expected to be released Tuesday on China's manufacturing sector. The rally in Asia paralleled the rise that ended the previous week on Wall Street, when the S&P 500 rose 39.37, or 0.9%, to 4,509.37 to top its prior all-time high set on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 242.68 points, or 0.7%, to 34,455.80, and the Nasdaq composite gained 183.69, or 1.2%, to 15,129.50.