Asian stocks follow Wall St higher amid virus uncertainty

Asian stock markets have gained as investors weighed the economic impact of the spread of the coronavirus’s delta variant

BEIJING -- Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday as investors weighed the economic impact of the spread of the coronavirus's delta variant and Wall Street ended August with a gain for the seventh straight month. Shanghai and Hong Kong retreated while Tokyo and South Korea advanced. Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 declined 0.1% from the previous day's record but ended August with a 2.9% gain. Investor optimism about stronger U.S. corporate profits and that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low is being tested by data showing the delta variant is weighing on economic activity.