Shares opened sharply higher in Asia on Wednesday after the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to its best day since 1933 with Congress and the White House nearing a deal on injecting nearly $2 trillion of aid into an economy ravaged by the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he had the power to fire or demote Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, adding new fuel to his long-running animus toward the central bank's leader at a moment when the economy was at risk of edging into recession.

U.S. stocks closed mixed on Friday after a volatile trading session, as investors continued to flee riskier assets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped more than 1,000 points Monday in the worst day for the stock market in two years as investors worry that the spread of a viral outbreak that began in China will weaken global economic growth.

Asian shares followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday amid optimism that a trade deal between the U.S. and China will be a boon for the regional economy.