Asian markets climbed Thursday, with the overnight rally on Wall Street helping lift Japanese financial shares like Mizuho Financial Group, while the yen's intraday weakness lifted exporters such as Sony Corp. and Honda Motor Co.
The Nikkei Stock Average rose 1.7 percent to 15,874.08, finishing at its highest level in nearly a month, while the broader Topix index advanced 1.7 percent to 1,552.27.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index climbed 0.7 percent to 29,558.92, posting gains for the seventh straight session. The 43-issue Hang Seng China Enterprises Index advanced 0.9 percent to 17,790.02.
Financials were among the front-runners in the region, with shares of Japan's Mizuho adding 5.5 percent while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group soared 6.6 percent.
Shares of Macquarie Group added 1.8 percent and Commonwealth Bank of Australia advanced 1.4 percent. In Hong Kong, HSBC Holdings' shares gained 1.8 percent and Bank of East Asia soared 5.3 percent, while in Singapore afternoon trading, shares of DBS Group Holdings climbed 2.9 percent.
Hutchison Telecommunications International shares gained 5.3 percent after its parent Hutchison Whampoa said it will buy a 9.22 percent stake in the telecom company from Cairo-listed Orascom Telecom Holdings for HK$4.85 billion ($622 million).
Shares of Australian iron-ore producer Midwest Corp. surged 12.6 percent on speculation it's in talks for a possible deal with China's Sinosteel Corp. that will counter an existing all-cash offer from Murchison Metals, according to reports. Shares of Murchison fell 4.5 percent.
Shares of exporters Sony and Honda both climbed 2.4 percent.
ELSEWHERE:
MUMBAI: India's Sensex added 0.8 percent at 19,894.88.
SEOUL: South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.8 percent to 1,953.17.
SINGAPORE: The Straits Times index rose 1.1 percent to 3,596.70.
TAIPEI: Taiwan's Weighted index rose 0.3 percent to 8,702.78.
SYDNEY: Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 1.4 percent at 6,600.90.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's NZX 50 index gained 0.2 percent at 4,043.50.
with files from other wire services
