TEMPO.CO, Washington - Asian stock markets are rising strongly ahead of the Fed's widely expected decision to raise rates for the first time in nearly a decade.
The rise is part of a global rebound that also saw U.S. benchmarks post their biggest gains in a week.
Low interest rates have been a boon for stock market investors for several years but Fed officials have telegraphed the likely decision far in advance. That has removed some of the uncertainty that investors dislike.
Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 2.1 percent and South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.9 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 2.3 percent and the Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China rose 0.7 percent.
AP