Asia markets mostly gained on Thursday, with Japanese shares advancing after local media reports suggested the government was preparing a sizable stimulus package.
The Nikkei 225 regained 128.33 points, or 0.8%, to 16,810.22, with stocks buoyed by a relatively weaker yen.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index hiked 118.01 points, or 0.5%, to 22,000.49
Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter, that the Japanese government was compiling stimulus package of at least 20 trillion yen ($188 billion U.S.) to help the domestic economy emerge from deflation, and to fend off possible adverse effects from Brexit.
Previously, the stimulus package was expected to be a little more than 10 trillion yen.
Australian gold concerns powered that country’s market up.
Miner South32, which was spun off from mining giant BHP Billiton in 2015, said on Thursday that it was well-positioned to achieve its fiscal 2017 unit cost guidance, after completing a series of restructuring initiatives, including its Worsley Alumina, Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, Australia Manganese and South Africa Manganese operations.
The company also announced fiscal 2016 production numbers that were largely in line with its forecast.
Alumina production for fiscal 2016 was at 5,296 kilo tons (kt), up 3% on-year. Aluminum production was down 4% on-year, energy coal production fell 8% on-year and manganese alloy production declined 46% on-year.
South32 shares closed down 1.4%. Among other major miners,Rio Tinto closed up 1%. Fortescue up 1% and BHP Billiton finished nearly flat at 19.24 Australian dollars a share.
Elsewhere, shares of McDonald's Holdings in Japan closed down 1.1% erasing its nearly 9% gain in early trade, after reports said the company announced it would take part in rolling out the "Pokemon Go" game.
Pokemon Go was supposed to have been rolled out in Japan on Wednesday. But media reports said the launch was delayed by game-maker Niantic after internal communications detailing the launch from McDonald's, the game's sponsor in Japan, were leaked onto the internet.
Nintendo shares, which tumbled around 13% on Wednesday on the back of the news of the delay, closed up 0.9% on Thursday. The stock has surged more than 100% since the "Pokemon Go" mobile app was released on July 6.
In Singapore, Temasek Holdings, the investment arm of the government, confirmed wire reports from earlier this week by announcing an offer to buy the remaining shares in transport operator SMRT that it doesn't already own, and take the company private.
In other markets
The Shanghai CSI 300 recovered 14.92 points, or 0.5%, to 3,252.52
The Taiex Index in Taiwan spiked 48.88 points, or 0.5%, to 9,056.56
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index retreated 5.26 points, or 0.2%, to 2,940.48
In Korea, the Kospi doffed 3.24 points, or 0.2%, to 2,012.52
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 41.39 points, or 0.6%, to 7,214.05
The ASX 200 added 23.68 points, or 0.4%, to 5,512.40
