Chinese stocks led an advance for most Asia markets on Thursday, although South Korean shares bucked the higher trend as investors returned from a one-day elections break.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Index regained 66.05 points, or 0.7%, to 9,524.79
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index leaped 186.65 points, or 0.9%, to 20,327.30
In Hong Kong, China Resources Land Ltd. jumped 3.3% and Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. added 2%.
In the financial sector, Bank of China Ltd. rose 1.9% and New China Life Insurance Co. rallied 3.3%.
Some Tokyo-listed exporters moved ahead, helped by a steady yen. Panasonic Corp climbed 2.1%, while Mazda Motor Corp. and Pioneer Corp. each added 1.5%.
After the Japanese close, Sony Corp. said it would cut 10,000 jobs worldwide as part of a restructuring, after it issued a profit warning earlier this week. Shares rose 0.9% before the announcement.
Shares in Hitachi Construction Machinery jumped 4.1% after the Nikkei business daily reported the firm is expected to deliver a near 40% lift in consolidating operating profit for the fiscal year.
On the downside, shares in China Coal Energy Co. fell 0.8% after a flooding accident at a mine operated by a unit killed four miners, prompting a suspension of all operations by that unit.
Foxconn International Holdings tumbled 7.4% after core customer Nokia Corp. announced a profit warning for the first half of the year.
However, major exporters dragged in South Korea. Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. each tumbled 2.9%
Shares in Korean Air Lines Co. fell 0.8% after a bomb threat forced one of its aircraft to make an emergency landing in Canada on Wednesday.
In Australia, commodity-linked firms led gains. Global miner BHP Billiton Ltd. rose 0.9%. Rival Rio Tinto Ltd. put on 1.5% and PanAust Ltd. surged 5.4% after it said its copper output rose in the first quarter.
Energy plays were also higher, with Santos Ltd. up 1.3%, after crude-oil futures jumped above $102-U.S.-a-barrel in New York trading on Wednesday.
CHINA
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 Index gained 50.40 points, or 2%, to 2,570.44
Property firms were among the gainers in mainland China, with China Vanke Co. rising 2.2% and Poly Real Estate Group Co. up 1.6%.
The World Bank trimmed its growth forecast for China on Thursday, and slowing growth may mean a greater possibility of more stimulus measures.
In other markets;
Korea’s Kospi Index returned from holiday to shed 7.78 points, or 0.4%, to 1,986.63
The Taiex index in Taiwan picked up 6.25 points, or 0.1%, to 7,662.92
Singapore’s Straits Times Index progressed 31.70 points, or 1.1%, to 2,978.14
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index added 21.71 points, or 0.6%, to 3,487.09
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index grew 34.52 points, or 0.8%, to 4,280.64
