Shanghai-listed stocks soared Wednesday, lifting China-related shares in Hong Kong, as investors sought bargains after steep recent losses and speculated that the mainland government might act to support the market.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 Average finished 0.2% higher at 13,052.13 while in Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index advanced 2.3% to 21,705.35.
Among financials, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group rose 2.3% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group added 3.2% in Tokyo.
Shares of Seven & I Holdings Co. slipped 2.1% a day after the convenience-store chain operator reported a 7.5% year-on-year drop in its quarterly net profit.
China's Shanghai Composite jumped 3.8% to 2,920.55.
In other news, data released earlier in the day showed an Australian index of consumer sentiment dropped 6.7% in July from June, while housing-finance approvals sank a seasonally adjusted 7.9% in May from April.
Elsewhere:
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index rose 0.8% to 2,910.60.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.6% to 5,011.90.
New Zealand's NZX 50 index added 0.5% to 3,177.46.
Taiwan's Weighted index slipped 0.1% to 7,048.25.
with files from other wire services
