Asian stocks and dollar firmer as Yellen hints at March rate hike

By Shinichi Saoshiro TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose early on Wednesday as Wall Street set record highs overnight after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen spoke in support of an interest rate hike next month, while the dollar hovered near three-week highs. Yellen said on Tuesday that the Fed will probably need to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting in March, and that delaying rate increases could leave the Fed's policymaking committee behind the curve.