Most Asian markets tracked Wall Street higher Thursday, recouping from the previous session, with energy stocks such as Inpex Holdings Inc. in Japan, PetroChina Co. in Hong Kong and Woodside Petroleum in Sydney advancing after crude-oil prices ended at a record in the U.S.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock jumped 2.84 percent to 13,688.28 points, rebounding from a 3.25 percent plunge the day before. Rising raw material prices helped boost commodity shares amid a broad rise in blue chips.
Tokyo's gainers were led by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., which jumped 15.32 percent as UBS AG upped the company's rating to ''buy'' on strong demand in the copper and gold markets.
Trading company Mitsubishi Corp. climbed 4.77 percent, Nippon Steel Corp. rose 3.36 percent and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group added 2.39 percent.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index rose 32.42 points, or 0.14 percent, to 23,623 points, after earlier gaining as much as 2 percent. Analysts said the thin volume suggested there wasn't much selling pressure, but that without any market-moving news, investors may continue to sit on the sidelines.
On mainland China, the Shanghai Composite lost 0.9% at 4,527.18 after Shanghai Pudong Development Bank confirmed it was considering raising capital, triggering fears of equity dilution. According to a Reuters report Wednesday, the bank planned to issue 1 billion new shares in the first half of the year to raise about 40 billion yuan ($5.6 billion).
Elsewhere:
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.6% to 5,583.40.
South Korea's Kospi added 1% to 1,704.36.
New Zealand's NZX 50 slipped 0.3% to 3,586.63.
Taiwan's Weighted index rose 2.4% to 8,085.93.
Singapore's Straits Times index gained 0.9% at 3,054.15.
with files from other services
