Asian stocks rose, after U.S. retail sales topped estimates and the World Bank raised its global growth forecast.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index regained 386.33 points, or 2.5%, to 15,808.73
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index zoomed 110.72 points, or 0.5%, to 22,902.
Toyota Motor Company, a Japanese car maker that gets 31% of its revenue in North America added 1.5%.
Hitachi Ltd., whose products range from nuclear-power systems to kitchen appliances, rose 4.1% to 867 yen in Tokyo, its highest price since July 2007, after Nomura Holdings Inc. said the company may report record third-quarter profit. Hitachi is due to report earnings on Feb. 4.
OZ Minerals Ltd. jumped 14% as Australia’s third-largest copper producer may see earnings rise, according to Morningstar Inc.
Anhui Conch Cement Co., China’s biggest maker of the building material, soared 5.9% in Hong Kong after saying it expects 2013 profit to surge about 50%.
Man Wah Holdings Ltd., a sofa maker that gets half its sales from the U.S., gained 2.1% to HK$13.70.
The World Bank sees the world economy expanding 3.2% this year, compared with a June projection of 3% and up from 2.4% in 2013. The forecast for the richest nations was raised to 2.2% from 2%.
Part of the increase reflects improvement in the 18-country euro area, with the U.S. ahead of developed peers, growing twice as fast as Japan.
In other markets;
Shanghai’s CSI 300 index doffed 3.91 points, or 0.2%, to 2,208.94
Korea’s Kospi index poked ahead 7.21 points, or 0.4%, to 1,953.28
Taiwan’s Taiex Index advanced 54.41 points, or 0.6%, to 8,602.55
The Singapore Straits Times Index recovered 19.50 points, or 0.6%, to 3,143.25
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 47.88 points, or 1%, to 4,931.04
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 33.38 points, or 0.6%, to 5,245.43
