Asian shares gained Friday as traders looked ahead to a key report on inflation that could influence the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.4% to 39,583.08. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.3% to 17,767.93, while the Shanghai Composite surged 0.9% to 2,971.18.
The Nasdaq composite added 0.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%. Walgreens Boots Alliance sank more than 22% after reporting results that fell shy of forecasts and cutting its outlook. The Nasdaq composite rose 53.53 points, or 0.3%, to 17,858.68.
The Nasdaq Composite closed near a record on Thursday as the broader market waited in the wings for the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.3%. The Nasdaq has risen in three-straight sessions.