Asia markets closed higher on Monday, bolstered by election results in Japan and Australia and shrugging off concerns a strong U.S. jobs report might push the Federal Reserve closer to hiking rates.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 soared 601.84 points, or 4%, to 15,106.98, gains that came as the yen relatively weakened against the U.S. dollar, trading at 101.88, compared with the dollar earlier fetching as little as 100.42 yen.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index hiked 316.33 points, or 1.5%, to 20,880.50
In upper house elections on Sunday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition won in a landslide, in a development analysts said was likely to make it far easier to push through his economic agenda, dubbed Abenomics.
In Japan, exporters rallied despite the yen's relative strength, with Toyota closing up 4.9%, Nissan up 5.2% and Sony up 4%
Nintendo rocketed up 24.5% to close at 20,260 yen a share, as the launch of its Pokemon GO smartphone game met with raging sales.
The initial public offering price for Line Corp., a subsidiary of South Korean internet company Naver, was set at 3,300 yen per share, at the top of the range, according to a Reuters report. Naver shares closed up 0.5%
In Hong Kong, CDB Leasing made its trading debut at HK$1.96, compared with its initial public offering price set at HK$1.90, the bottom of its indicative range.
Australian markets prospered, boosted by a 2.5% gain in the financials sub-index that makes up nearly half of the broader index. Major Australian banks rallied, with shares of ANZ climbing 3.5% The Australian dollar traded at $0.7547 U.S. in the evening local time, coming off an earlier high of $0.7575.
On Sunday, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared his ruling coalition won the extremely close election, although the counting of votes continued more than a week after the actual vote.
In other markets
The Shanghai CSI 300 recuperated 11.05 points, or 0.4%, to 3,203.33
The Taiex Index in Taiwan returned from a long weekend, and shot higher 145.46 points, or 1.7%, to 8,786.47
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index regained 29.1 points, or 1%, to 2,876.14
In Korea, the Kospi added 25.44 points, or 1.3%, to 1,988.54
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 moved higher 62.35 points, or 0.9%, to 7,062.45
The ASX 200 improved 106.57 points, or 2%, to 5,337.11
