Sydney — Asian shares rebounded on Friday as comments from a Federal Reserve official eased worries about faster rate rises in the US, while the safe-haven yen held on to its gains amid heightened volatility across markets. Financial markets have fluctuated wildly in February as investors fretted about how fast the Fed might raise rates in the wake of data showing a pick up in US inflation. Even though broader US price pressures still appear modest for now, markets are now fully pricing in three rate increases this year, one more than was seen just a few months ago, and some analysts now expect four. That in turn has stoked anxiety that many central banks will start to tighten policy and raise borrowing costs, which will hit corporate earnings, which have boomed thanks to a synchronised uptick in global growth. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan climbed 1%, adding to the previous week’s 3.9% gain. It is still down more than 4% in February so far, however, aft...
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