Asian stocks advanced for a third day, with the regional benchmark index extending a six-year high, as U.S. inflation data damped concerns interest-rate increases will be brought forward.

HANG SENG 23,912.76 +130.65 +0.55%

S&P/ASX 200 5,576.7 +33.41 +0.60%

TOPIX 1,272.39 -0.88 -0.07%

SHANGHAI COMP 2,078.49 +3.01 +0.14%

Lotte Confectionery Co. surged 8.1 percent to a record close after the chocolate maker's parent moved to unwind cross shareholdings within the group.

AAC Technologies Holdings Inc. rose 1 percent in Hong Kong after customer Apple Inc. reported higher profit as iPhone sales jumped.

Tokyo Electron Ltd. slipped 2.9 percent after a report said its proposed merger with Applied Materials Inc. was opposed by China.