Asian equities were positioned to open higher on Thursday after the latest U.S. inflation reading came in as expected, calming worries that the Federal Reserve could soon raise interest rates. Futures tied to stock benchmarks in Japan and South Korea moved higher, pointing to a second straight day of gains for a broader regional gauge. In early Asian trading, Nasdaq 100 futures edged lower after Cisco Systems Inc. reported earnings that failed to impress investors, even as U.S. stocks had closed firmer. The S&P 500 finished within reach of a record high, and strength in megacap chipmakers pushed the Nasdaq 100 to a one-month high.