Most stock markets across Asia closed up higher Monday, driven largely by rising investor confidence over the region’s growth outlook.
In Tokyo, shares rose to a nine-month high after Japan's yen softened against the dollar.
Observers say gains are the result of investment shifting from global portfolios towards the industrial and consumer-growth stories in Asia. The Nikkei Index finished 0.7 percent higher at 17,424.18, its highest level since April.
Shares in Hitach gained 3.5 percent, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan's largest lender by assets, rose 2.7 percent and Nomura holding closed 1.7 percent higher Monday.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang seng Index finished up 2.2 percent, rising 444.50 points to 20,772.22.70, beating its previous record close of 20,413 set on Jan 3.
HSBC gained 1.8 percent, while China Mobile gained 4.3 percent. The two stocks comprise roughly half of the market capitalization of the Hang Seng Index.
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: The Stock Exchange of Thailand's benchmark SET Index lost 3.05 points to close at 655.12.
BOMBAY: The Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex Index, rose 0.2 percent, to close at 14,209.24.
JAKARTA: The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index gained 1.2 percent to 1,817.41.
KUALA LAMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained 0.9 percent to 1,157.85.
MANILA: The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained or 1.8 percent, to 3,141.28.
SEOUL: The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 2.85 points to 1,363.41.
SHANGHAI: China's Shanghai Composite Index gained 3.6 percent to 2933.19.
SINGAPORE: The Straits Times Index jumped 2.4 percent, to end at 3,145.20.
SYDNEY: Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 nudged up 0.9 percent, to end the day at 5,726.6.
TAIPEI: Taiwan's Weighted Price Index gained 2.39 points to 7,842.47.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's NZX-50 index shifted up 0.7 percent, to 4,121.09.
With files from wire services
