Asian exchanges rise again after Bernanke comments

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index gaining for a second day, after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said he's prepared to do more to stimulate US growth if needed.

Samsung Electronics Co, South Korea's biggest consumer electronics maker, climbed 2.7 percent. Hitachi Chemical Co jumped 6.7 percent in Tokyo on a rating boost by Credit Suisse Group AG after the semiconductor materials supplier forecast higher earnings. Fanuc Ltd sank 6.1 percent after the maker of factory robots said its operating profit will fall.

"The Federal Reserve didn't rule out the possibility of additional monetary easing," said Mitsushige Akino, who oversees about $600 million in Tokyo at Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co. "That's leading to confidence among investors."