Most Asian markets advanced Thursday, cheering a temporary reprieve from European debt woes after a successful Portuguese bond sale Wednesday.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index climbed 76.96 points, or 0.7%, to 10,589.80, an eight-month high.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 113.37 points, or 0.5%, to 24,239.
With some resource-sector shares again finding buyers, Hong Kong and Shanghai markets rose for a third straight session, while Australian stocks rallied in relief that a flood in Queensland state had peaked.
South Korean shares retreated after a surprise interest-rate increase by the central bank, and Indian stocks were hit by disappointment over the results and outlook for software bellwether Infosys Technologies Ltd.
Sumitomo Trust & Banking added 5.3% and Chuo Mitsui Trust Holdings tacked on 5% after the president of the latter, Kazuo Tanabe, said in a Nikkei interview that Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, to be created in April from the integration of the two trust banks, is considering a dividend payout ratio of 30%, higher than previously projected for the banks individually.
Real-estate shares gained on signs of improvement in the Tokyo office-vacancy rate. Nippon Building Fund added 1.3%, Mitsui Fudosan rose 1.3% and Mitsubishi Estate tacked on 3.3%.
Some companies with large exposures to Europe stood out, with shares of Nikon rising 2% in Tokyo, while HSBC Holdings added 1.4% and Esprit Holdings gained 0.9% in Hong Kong.
Several resource stocks gained on the back of an overnight increase in commodity prices. BHP Billiton climbed 1.9% and Rio Tinto rose 2.2% in Sydney; Pacific Metals climbed 2.3% in Tokyo
PetroChina gained in both Hong Kong (up 2.1%) and Shanghai (1.3%).
In Sydney, Boral jumped 4.4% on expectations of strong demand for cement once reconstruction begins in flood-damaged areas.
South Korean shares declined after the Bank of Korea surprised markets with a quarter-point rate increase, to 2.75%.
Samsung Life Insurance rose 0.5% and Samsung Securities climbed 5.5%, while Shinhan Financial Group gained 3.1%.
In foreign-exchange markets, the euro was at $1.3125 U.S. compared with $1.3135 U.S. in late New York trade on Wednesday, and at 109.08 yen from ¥108.99. The dollar was at ¥83.12 from ¥83.00.
In other markets
Shanghai’s CSI 300 Index shaved off 1.05 points to 3,141.28
Korea’s Kospi Index slid 5.47 points, or 0.3%, to 2,089.48
Taiwan’s Taiex Index stepped up 10.58 points, or 0.1%, to 8,975.58
Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 10.93 points, or 0.3%, to 3,255.87
New Zealand’s NZX 50 gained 39.12 points, or 1.2%, to 3,373.71
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index was positive 71 points, or 1.5%, to 4,795.20.
