Hong Kong stocks extended gains on Thursday, while Shanghai shares rebounded strongly from earlier losses and jumped to a new seven-year high.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 regained 16.01 points, or 0.1%, to 19,885.77. The yen slipped against the U.S. dollar, with the greenback buying ¥119.27, compared with ¥119.14 late Wednesday in New York.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index gained 120.89 points, or 0.4%, to 27,739.71, hovering near its seven-year high of 28,016.34 hit earlier this week
The gains came after The Wall Street Journal reported Chinese regulators are considering easing rules of the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect to allow small mainland investors to invest in the Hong Kong stock market.
CHINA
The Shanghai CSI 300 recovered 133.03 points, or 3%, to 4,513.55
Nuclear energy-related stocks soared in both Hong Kong and Shanghai, after China’s State Council, the nation’s cabinet, approved the construction of its first domestically designed nuclear reactor — Hualong-1.
Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. spiked 20.6%, Harbin Electric Co. Ltd. leapt 17.4%, and Dongfang Electric Corporation Ltd. pushed up 14.5%. Meanwhile, Shanghai-listed shares of Dongfang Electric and Shanghai Electric were both suspended from trading after they surged by 10%.
In other markets
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index eased back 8.34 points, or 0.2%, to 3,531.61
The Kospi index in Korea gained 19.94 points, or 0.9%, to 2,139.90
In Taiwan, the Taiex index recouped 116.81 points, or 1.2%, to 9,656.87
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 moved upward 25.68 points, or 0.4%, to 5,881.76
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 improved 39.06 points, or 0.7%, to 5,947.47
