Japan's Nikkei on Thursday crossed the 18,000-point level for the first time in nearly seven years as Sony Corp. and other exporter shares rose on a weaker yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index surged 195.58 points, or 1.09 percent, to 18,108.79 while in Hong Kong, the blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 157.81 points, or 0.8 percent, to 20,809.23.
Stocks moved higher after the Bank of Japan's rate hike Wednesday ended market uncertainty, traders said.
The BOJ raised its benchmark interest rate to 0.5 percent, judging that price stability and consumer spending would withstand slightly tighter credit.
Shortly before the market opened, the Finance Ministry announced Japan posted a 4.4 billion yen (US$36.4 million; euro27.7 million) trade surplus with the rest of the world in January, rebounding from a massive deficit a year earlier.
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: Thai shares ended 0.2 percent higher at 693.61, as gains in some blue chips offset profit-taking in small stocks.
JAKARTA: Indonesian shares dropped 8.13 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,808.44 in moderate trade, as investors booked profits on recent gains which prompted blue-chip shares to decline.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares ended flat, the Kuala Lumpur Composite index slipped 0.1 percent, or 1.7 points, to 1,276.52 in fresh record high volume of 4.8 billion shares but off an intraday low of 1270.10.
MANILA: Philippine shares slid as investors cashed in on gains, a day after the market rose to a 10-year intraday high. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 13.39 points, or 0.4 percent, at 3,365.53.
MUMBAI: Indian shares dropped, dragged down by banking and auto stocks as investors unwound their positions before the expiry of February derivative contracts amid concerns over rising interest rates. The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock Sensitive Index, or Sensex, fell 1.2 percent, or 167.18 points, to 14,021.31.
SEOUL: South Korean shares rose to a record high, buoyed by a positive mood in global markets and gains in steelmaker Posco, banks, brokerages and shipbuilders. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index jumped 14.03 points, or 1 percent, to 1,465.41.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's shares finished flat after strong earnings from Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. failed to spark fresh demand and stocks reversed from a new mid-session high. The benchmark Straits Times Index closed down 4.76 points, or 0.1 percent, at 3,288.85.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand stocks slipped, and brokers said the market will struggle to break the negative momentum of the past five sessions, as spotty earnings and a high New Zealand dollar sour sentiment. The benchmark NZX-50 closed down 6 points, or 0.2 percent, at 4,089.77.
SYDNEY: Australian stocks rose to a record high as investors shrugged off a weak lead from Wall Street and welcomed positive earnings reports. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index surged 65.3 points, or 1.1 percent to 6,017.1.
