Sydney — Asian shares edged up on Monday, with sentiment boosted by the expectation that US legislators will pass a long-awaited tax bill, while Chinese stocks were soggy after the country’s central bank raised interest rates. Meanwhile, the launch of bitcoin futures on the CME exchange bolstered the view that the cryptocurrency’s red-hot rally in the cash market could continue. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2%. Japan’s Nikkei was the best performer in the region, rising 1.3% to edge closer to a 25-year peak of 23,382 points set last month. Global stock markets have surged this year, largely led by expectation of a US tax overhaul. The reform is expected to boost corporate profits, trigger share buybacks and lead to higher dividend payouts — a boon for shareholders. Votes on the legislation are expected this week. China is also in focus after the People’s Bank of China raised interest rates on reverse repurchase agreements, or reverse repos. Inv...
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