Asian Stocks Rise Ahead of Fed Rate Decision

Asian stocks mostly rose on Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates. The potential hike, which would be the first in three years, is expected due to elevated inflation levels in the US and above the Fed's target.

In early European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.2% to 10,681.92, while France's CAC 40 climbed 0.2% to 8,103.73. Germany's DAX edged up 0.1% to 25,424.65.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.7% to 63,923.00, despite a fourth consecutive month of trade deficit in August. South Korea's Kospi rose 1.4% to 6,717.97. Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged up 0.2% to 24,713.78.

Artificial intelligence-related stocks remained volatile after US AI leaders called for slower development to ensure safety. SoftBank Group dropped 1.5%, while Tokyo Electron rose 2.1%. SK Hynix climbed 4.1%, and Samsung Electronics was up 2%.