Asian shares extend gains on reassuring China data

Asian stocks extended early gains on Wednesday after a raft of upbeat Chinese data reassured anxious investors after a stock market rout there had heightened worries of a potentially damaging blow to the world's second-largest economy. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.4 percent, though its upside was tempered as Chinese shares were lower in early trade. Investors were also awaiting other key events, including a Bank of Japan policy decision and congres