Asian shares press higher after Wall St record

Asian stock markets are higher after Wall Street hit a record and Japanese inflation eased

BEIJING -- Asian stock markets were mostly higher Friday after Wall Street hit a record and Japanese inflation eased.

Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney advanced. Hong Kong declined.

Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 index advanced 0.3%, putting it on track for a weekly gain.

Investors are shifting focus from corporate earnings to the longer-term outlook for global economies and whether central banks might feel pressure to cool rising prices by rolling back stimulus faster than planned.