GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks gain on tech strength

                                
 By David Fox
                                
 SINGAPORE, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose on
Wednesday with tech-linked shares leading the way following an
upbeat fourth-quarter forecast from computer chipmaker Intel.
                                
 The dollar remained broadly weak after details of the last
meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve suggested the central bank
was closer to injecting fresh stimulus into the ailing economy.
[ID:nN12191658]
                                
 Comments by Japan on South Korea's leadership of the
forthcoming G20 forum underlined growing currency tensions
globally. Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda questioned Seoul's
regular currency market interventions. [ID:nTOE69C00G]
                                
 Intel <INTC.O>, the world's largest chipmaker, raised
expectations for higher technology earnings in the fourth
quarter by forecasting stronger sales and margins for the
period. The outlook was part of its third-quarter earnings
reported after the close on Wall Street.  [ID:N11136922]
                                
 "It's not that Intel's results and outlook were great, but
they were modestly better than the market's already lowered
expectations," said Lee Min-hee, an analyst at Dongbu
Securities in Seoul, where the Korea Composite Stock Price
Index <.KS11> (KOSPI) was up 0.21 percent.
                                
 "It is such relief that is lifting technology stocks. The
PC market has been showing signs of improvement since
September, and key memory chip prices are expected to stabilise
by the end of this year."
                                
 Intel shares climbed 1 percent in after-hours trade.
                                
 In Asia, shares of Hynix Semiconductor <000660.KS>, the
world's No. 2 memory chipmaker, rose 3 percent and Elpida
Memory <6665.T> gained 0.7 percent. [ID:nTOE69C009]
                                
 Expectations that the U.S. Fed is poised to bolster the
economy has spurred something of a worldwide equity rally.
                                
 U.S. stocks hit a five-month high on Tuesday. The S&P 500
index is up 11.3 percent since the start of September, and last
month's performance was one of the best for stocks in a decade.
                                
 MSCI's all-country world equity index <.MIWD00000PUS> has
posted a 12.1 percent gain since the beginning of September.
The index was up 0.86 percent at 459.03 at 1015 GMT.
                                
 MSCI's Asia ex-Japan index rose 0.8 percent
<.MIAPJ0000PUS>.
                                
 Hong Kong's Hang Seng index <.HSI> was up 0.68 percent
while Tokyo's Nikkei <.N225> was up 86 percent.
                                
  Still, the Nikkei was capped by concerns over the yen's
strength. The dollar rose 0.1 percent to 81.87 yen <JPY=>, but
was not far away from a 15-year low of 81.37 struck on Monday.
[FRX/]
                                
 "The market is watching for possible Japanese intervention.
But as long as the yen stays strong, the Nikkei will stay under
pressure," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at
Ichiyoshi Investment Management.
                                
 The euro <EUR=> held on to most of its sharp gains from
Tuesday, spurred by minutes of the Fed meeting on Sept. 21 that
showed central bankers thought the economy might need further
support.
                                
 The euro was changing hands at $1.3965 on Wednesday, up
from a low on Tuesday around $1.3771.
                                
 (Editing by Neil Fullick)
 (david.fox@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3815; Reuters
Messaging: albert.yoon.reuters.com@reuters.net))
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