Stock market today: Asian shares rise after Wall Street rallies to records

Asian benchmarks are mostly higher after U.S. stocks rallied to records following the Federal Reserve's indication that it expects to deliver interest rate cuts later this year. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped 2.0% to finish at a record high Thursday, after the government reported exports grew nearly 8% in February from a year earlier. Shares also rose in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Seoul. The S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq hit all-time highs. The Federal Reserve kept its main interest rate at its highest level since 2001, but said cuts were likely later this year.