By Kevin Buckland

TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian stocks tracked Wall Street higher on Wednesday and bonds fell as traders firmed up bets that U.S. labour market softness would spur the Federal Reserve to cut rates by at least a quarter point next week.

Gold caught its breath after Tuesday’s record high, while the dollar ticked higher, with two crucial days of U.S. inflation figures, starting later on Wednesday, set to provide the final data puzzle to inform the Fed’s September 17 decision.

Crude oil stayed elevated after Israel’s attack on Hamas leadership in Qatar. Indeed, geopolitical worries remained front and centre of investors’ minds after Poland scrambled its own and NATO air defences to shoot down drones following a Russian air attack on western Ukraine.

Markets also took in stride a

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