Stock markets rose Wednesday, with Wall Street building on the previous day's record highs after steady US inflation data fueled hopes that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.

The broad-based S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq extended gains after reaching new summits on Tuesday. Both indices again finished at fresh records.

Tokyo's Nikkei index followed suit on Wednesday, hitting a record as it closed 1.3 percent higher.

European stock markets also finished in the green.

Investors have worried about the impact that US President Donald Trump's tariffs will have on inflation and growth in the world's biggest economy.

But official figures showed Tuesday that the US consumer price index remained steady at 2.7 percent in July, unchanged from June.

Investors shrugged off

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