Asian stocks surge after lower US inflation eases rate fears

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index soared to 16,948.96 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gained 2.7% to 28,186.34. The Shanghai Composite Index added 1.2% to 3,073.36 after the ruling Communist Party promised to alter quarantine and other anti-virus tactics. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index soared 5.5% on Thursday for its best day in 2 1/2 years. Core inflation, strips out volatile food and energy prices, was 6.3% over a year earlier, down from September’s 6.6% and below the consensus forecast of 6.5%. The Fed is trying to slow economic activity to reduce pressure for prices to rise. . . .