Stock market today: Asian shares rise after Wall Street nears record; markets eye inflation report

Asian shares have advanced on the back of Wall Street’s climb to a near-record high, as Tokyo's benchmark hovered near its highest level since 1990. The yen has weakened against the U.S. dollar, boosting export-related shares. Oil prices and U.S. futures edged higher. Investors are watching for a U.S. inflation report due later Thursday that could show whether all the excitement that’s vaulted stocks higher recently is warranted. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.6%, just 0.3% below its all-time high. The Dow added 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8%. Treasury yields held relatively steady.