Asian shares rose to a seven-week high on Wednesday as investors kept hopes high for more monetary policy stimulus to support the faltering global economy, starting with a likely rate cut by the European Central Bank. European shares looked set to marginally extend gains after closing at a two-month high on Tuesday, with spreadbetters predicting that region’s major markets would open up 0.1 percent. U.S. markets are closed for the Independence Day holiday. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced as much as 0.8 percent to its highest since mid-May, led by the energy and materials sectors. Resource-reliant Australian shares were the region’s top performers with a 1 percent gain.
