Asian shares crept higher on Wednesday following merger-driven gains in Europe and on Wall Street, though investors were wary in case coming figures on Chinese manufacturing again disappointed. Japan's Nikkei put on 0.9 percent while Australia's main index edged up 0.2 percent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.15 percent. The better mood owed much to Wall Street where the Dow rose 0.4 percent, while the S&P 500 gained 0.41 percent and the Nasdaq 0.97 percent. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares jumped 1.34 percent on Tuesday. In Asia, the focus will be on the flash HSBC ... (full story)