Asian stocks started the week on an upbeat note, with Japanese markets posting sharp gains Monday led by Canon Inc. and other export-related shares as the yen's decline continued.
In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index climbed 264.35 points, or 1.52 percent, to finish at 17,628.30 while in Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index rose 416.56 points to 20,757.53.
Toyota Motor Corp. rose 1 percent, Canon Inc. rose 2.6 percent gain, and Toshiba Corp. rose 1.6 percent. Pharmaceuticals also advanced, with Astellas Pharma Inc. rising 1.9 percent.
Elsewhere:
Indonesian shares advanced 1.2 percent to a new high of 1,963.82 points, helped by gains in most Asian markets and expectations that many companies will report strong first-quarter earnings due to lower interest rates.
Malaysian shares rose 1.1 percent to 1,322.91 points, a new closing high for 2007. Dealers say firm foreign buying interest in plantation, property and select blue chips continues to keep the market strong.
Philippine shares rose, led by conglomerate Ayala Corp. and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. The benchmark 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 50.8 points, or 1.6 percent, after falling 2.4 percent last week.
Indian shares ended sharply higher, taking their cues from strong markets around the world and led by market heavyweights Reliance Industries and state-run Oil & Natural Gas Corp. The 30-issue BSE index jumped 311.50 points, or 2.3 percent, to 13,695.58.
South Korean shares again closed at a record high after a mild retreat Friday, buoyed by Hyundai Department Store, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and brokerages. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, jumped 11.26 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,532.04.
Shanghai shares hit a record high as securities funds bought financial companies. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index jumped 2.2 percent to 3,596.44. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 2.7 percent to 973.88.
Singapore shares moved higher on gains in Genting International and property stocks. The Straits Times Index gained 40.56 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 3,414.15.
Taiwan shares ended flat as investors waited for leading technology companies to announce their first quarter revenues. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange fell 1.6 points to close at 8,043.54 points on light volume.
New Zealand shares rose slightly, with the market pushed into positive territory by a strong showing by bellwether Telecom. The benchmark NZX-50 index rose 6.4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,170.70.
Australian shares hit a record high, driven by positive leads from the U.S. combined with bullish domestic themes and expectations of substantial near-term cash inflows. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index advanced 61.9 points, or 1 percent, to 6,197.7 after hitting a record high of 6,206.3.
With files from wire services
