Asian markets rise on revived hopes for a Fed rate pause

HONG KONG (AFP): Stocks rallied again in Asia on Friday (June 9), fired by renewed optimism that the Federal Reserve will hold off lifting interest rates next week as fresh data indicated further tightening in the US labour market.

Expectations the central bank will stand pat next week -- for the first time since starting its hiking cycle last year -- have pushed equities higher for most of the month, helped by the end of the US debt ceiling standoff.