The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.----------Nikkei stock index ends at record high for 2nd straight dayTOKYO - The Nikkei stock index closed above the 43,000 line to mark an all-time high for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, boosted by optimism about the U.S. economy amid speculation about an earlier than expected interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 556.50 points, or 1.30 percent, from Tuesday at 43,274.67. The broader Topix index rose 25.54 points, or 0.83 percent, to 3,091.91, also closing at a re…READ FULL ARTICLE