HONG KONG/LONDON (AFP) - Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday as dealers awaited an important interest rate announcement from the United States, while others capitalised on recent falls in some markets. Shanghai was the biggest gainer, rising more than 3.6 percent as traders went bargain-hunting following recent falls, while Taipei rose 1.51 percent. However analysts said the rebounds may be limited as oil prices continue to rise. Hong Kong saw shares rise slightly in half-day trading after the southern Chinese city was closed in the morning as a tropical storm struck late Tuesday. Singapore and Seoul closed the trading day slightly up, while Tokyo continued to slide and Sydney finished just off as dealers awaited the Fed interest rate decision, which is expected early Thursday. In other markets, Bangkok recorded a 1.92 percent hike despite the government grappling with a no-confidence vote, while Mumbai and Manila both posted gains after five days of losses. Meanwhile, Europe's main stock markets rose on Wednesday with the focus on the banking sector after Barclays convinced Asian and Middle Eastern investors to snap up new shares being offered by the British lender. Dealers were also awaiting a key interest rate decision by the US Federal Reserve. In early afternoon trading, London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares was up by 0.44 percent at 5,659.40 points. Frankfurt's DAX 30 index won 0.95 percent to 6,598.00 points and the Paris CAC 40 index gained 1.09 percent to 4,522.70. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of top eurozone shares advanced by 1.18 percent to 3,444.62 points. The European single currency rose to 1.5588 dollars, as the Federal Reserve appeared set on maintaining US interest rates at 2.0 percent, traders said. Meanwhile, Barclays said Asian and Middle Eastern investors were to play leading roles in recapitalising the British bank, which announced a share issue to raise about 4.5 billion pounds (8.9 billion dollars, 5.7 billion euros). The news catapulted Barclays to the top of the FTSE 100, with its share price surging 7.80 percent in value to 335 pence. Barclays announcement also lifted its troubled peers, as HBOS jumped 6.01 percent to 291.25 pence and Royal Bank of Scotland climbed 4.90 percent to 230 pence. Barclays said the state-run Qatar Investment Authority had agreed to take about a third of the new shares with an investment worth 1.76 billion pounds, with Singapore's public investment group Temasek also taking part. The state-run China Development Bank, a fund representing the interests of Qatar's prime minister, and Japanese bank Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation will also buy stakes, according to a statement from Barclays. Barclays is the latest in a long line of international banking groups to raise new capital by issuing shares in a bid to strengthen finances that have been battered by losses caused by the subprime loan crisis. Cash-rich Middle Eastern and Asian investors have played an important role in some of these recapitalisations, in the United States and in Switzerland. Stocks hit a seven-week low in the morning after Wall Street had skidded Tuesday on news of a sharp drop in US consumer confidence, but later recovered some of the losses as investors took comfort from strong gains on the Shanghai marke, dealers said.