Stock market today: Japan's Nikkei 225 hits new record close, leading Asian shares higher

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 has surged to a record close of 40,913.65, leading markets in most of Asia higher. Shares fell in Chinese markets, while U.S. futures edged higher. Oil prices fell. On Wednesday, U.S. stocks kept rising in a holiday-shortened session after weak reports on the economy kept the door open for possible cuts to interest rates. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and set an all-time high for the 33rd time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.9% to push its own record higher. Recent data have bolstered bets for the Federal Reserve to cut its main interest rate as soon as September.