Japan stocks advanced the most in almost four weeks on Thursday, as a strong rebound in oil prices triggered an appetite for stocks, and the greenback staged a recovery against the yen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index regained 312.74 points, or 1.9%, to 17,108.70.
On Thursday, the U.S. dollar rose against the yen to ¥117.77, compared with ¥117.27 late Wednesday in New York and a low of ¥116.07 overnight.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index recouped 238.31 points, or 1%, to 24,350.91, ignoring a slower-than-expected loan growth in China for December.
Earlier in the day, official data showed Japan’s core machinery orders rose slightly in November.
Crude-oil futures pulled back a little in early Thursday electronic trade, following sharp gains in the previous session. On Wednesday, West Texas Intermediate crude oil for February climbed 5.6% on the New York Mercantile Exchange, posting its largest daily percentage gain in two and a half years.
South Korea’s Kospi Composite Index closed flat, as the central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, while cutting its growth and inflation forecasts for the year.
However, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 retreated, after the nation’s jobless rate dropped unexpectedly in December.
In other markets;
The Shanghai CS300 index gained 101.70 points, or 2.9%, to 3,604.12
The Kospi in Korea nicked higher by 0.48 points to 1,914.14
In Taiwan, the Taiex index retreated 15.14 points, or 0.2%, to 9,165.09
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index regrouped 12.68 points, or 0.4%, to 3,338.84
New Zealand’s NZX 50 index dropped 6.57 points, or 0.1%, to 5,642.05
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 skidded 22.23 points, or 0.4%, to 5,331.37
