Asian markets closed higher on Thursday, taking cues from a stronger finish in U.S. markets, as traders digested comments from top central bankers overnight.
The Nikkei 225 leaped 89.89 points, or 0.5%, to 20,220.30
The Hang Seng Index flew 281.92 points, or 1.1%, to 25,965.42
In company news, Toshiba postponed plans for the sale of its memory business following its decision to take legal action against Western Digital for interfering in the deal.
Toshiba selected a Japan-led consortium as its preferred bidder earlier this month. Western Digital had sought an injunction to prevent the sale from taking place. Toshiba shares closed 3.7% lower.
Shares of J.Front Retailing, a holding company in Japan in the department store space, closed 8.7% higher following the release of robust net profits for its first quarter.
A Nomura research analyst maintained a buy call on the company, adding that earnings in the first half will exceed guidance due to expenses being kept under budget and the reactive increase in department store sales.
On the economic calendar for Thursday, Japan retail sales for the month of May rose 2% on year, lower than the 2.6% expected
Against the yen, the U.S. dollar rose to trade at 112.56. The greenback had traded at a more than one-month high against the yen earlier in the week.
Comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Tuesday about adjustment in the central bank's monetary stimulus had been misinterpreted, according to reports. Draghi had wanted to signal tolerance for weaker inflation and not tightening in policy,
The Bank of England was also in the spotlight, after BoE Governor Mark Carney's comments about debating an increase in interest rates "in the coming months." Carney had sounded more dovish in a speech earlier this month.
CHINA
The CSI 300 recovered 22.66 points, or 0.6%, to 3,668.83
Earlier in the session, the yuan traded at its highest level since November last year. The reference point for the yuan had been set at 6.794 per U.S. dollar. The People's Bank of China lets the yuan spot rate rise or fall a maximum of 2% against the greenback, relative to the official fixing rate.
In other markets
In Taiwan, the Taiex index picked up 31.1 points, or 0.3%, to 10,421.65
In Korea, the Kospi index improved 13.1 points, or 0.6%, to 2,395.66
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index jumped 42.95 points, or 1.3%, to 3,258.65
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 vaulted 60.95 point, or 0.8%, to 7,685.45
In Australia, the ASX 200 rocketed 62.4 points, or 1.1%, to 5,818.10
