Japan stocks extended a three-day winning streak Thursday, with the Nikkei hitting the highest point in more than seven years.
The Nikkei 225 index in Japan vaulted 195.74 points, or 1.1%, to 17,302.79, as investors looked ahead to Monday’s release of economic growth statistics, which were expected to be used by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for deciding whether to postpone a sales-tax increase planned for October next year.
The yen slipped against the greenback, with the U.S. dollar buying ¥115.58 compared with ¥115.47 a day earlier.
On the same day, official data showed that Japanese core machinery orders rose 2.9% in September from the previous month, marking a fourth straight month of gains.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 81.76 points, or 0.3%, to 24,019.94
Market movers included retailer AEON Co. Ltd., rallying 3%, its local rivals, Front Retailing Co. Ltd. and Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. both advancing 1.9%. Internet and telecoms conglomerate SoftBank Corp. jumped 2.9%, electronic component maker TDK Corporation climbed 2.2%, camera maker Nikon Corp rose 1.6%, and auto maker Toyota Motor Corp. improved by 1.3%.
The Shanghai CSI 300 docked 14.57 points, or 0.6%, to 2,579.75
In other markets;
Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 21.22, or 0.7%, to 3,304.93
The Kospi index in Korea fell 6.76 points, or 0.3%, to 1,960.51
The Taiex Index in Taiwan moved ahead 61.72 points, or 0.7%, to 8,980.67
The New Zealand NZX 50 fell 25.14 points, or 0.5%, to 5,462.74
Australia’s ASX 200 lost 74.40 points, or 1.4%, to 5,442.70
