Stock market today: Asia stocks track Wall Street gains, Japan shares hit record high

Asia stocks gain after U.S. stocks climbed to all-time highs. Japan’s stock hit a fresh record high near the 40,000 level. U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices advanced. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% Thursday to top the all-time high it set last week. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9% and surpassed its record that had stood since 2021. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1%. Yields eased in the bond market after a closely followed inflation report showed prices across the country rose pretty much as expected last month. The data kept intact hopes that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates in June.