Asia shares hit one-month high as investors bet on a dovish Fed

SINGAPORE, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Asian stocks scaled a one-month peak on Tuesday, tracking a Wall Street rally driven by expectations that the Federal Reserve could offer further hints of imminent rate cuts later this week.

With the data calendar relatively light across major economies this week, all eyes are on Wednesday's release of the Fed's July meeting minutes and Chair Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole on Friday for clues on the outlook for U.S. rates.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS), opens new tab hit a one-month top before giving up some gains to trade 0.4% higher.

Japan's Nikkei (.N225), opens new tab rose 1.7%, helped by a jump in technology stocks as it shrugged off the latest bout of yen strength.

Fed speakers have in recent days signalled a potential easing in September.

That's helped gold prices hover above the $2,500 level, near a record high, while the dollar dropped a notch lower in early Tuesday trade to its lowest in over seven months against a basket of currencies , at 101.76.

Thierry Wizman, global FX and rates strategist at Macquarie said markets were primed for dovish comments fr...
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