(Updates prices ahead of midday trading recess) By Kevin Buckland TOKYO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose above 43,000 for the first time on Wednesday, with the broader Topix index also marking a fresh all-time high, tracking Wall Street's overnight gains and extending the rally into a sixth straight session. The Nikkei gained as much as 1.4%...

Aug 13 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening higher on Wednesday, with futures up 0.2%. * THAMES WATER: Hong Kong's CK Infrastructure Holdings ( CKISF ) has emerged as a leading contender to take over Thames Water and could assume control within weeks if Britain's largest water utility is placed into special ­administration, The Times reported on...

TOKYO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose to a fresh all-time high on Wednesday, topping 43,000 for the first time ever. The Nikkei rose as much as 1.2% in the first few minutes of trade to reach a record 43,241.27. The broader Topix also marked a new all-time peak, gaining as much as 0.8% to 3,092.05. ...

* Fed rate cut expected, boosting Wall Street and Asian markets * U.S. inflation data below expectations, easing stagflation fears * Nikkei hits new high, breaches 43,000 By Rocky Swift TOKYO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Stocks in Asia climbed and the U.S. dollar was subdued on Wednesday, as data showed both resilience in major economies and the need for central...