Asian stocks ended mostly higher Monday, with Japan's Nikkei Average advancing on gains in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial and Inpex Holdings while export-focused shares trimmed earlier losses tied to action in the foreign-exchange market.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Average rose 150.78 points, or 0.96 percent, to finish at 15,885.38 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 56.29 points, or 0.3 percent, to 19,204.01.
Some exporters stocks also regained ground in the afternoon as the dollar rose versus the yen, reversing its recent slide.
Mizuho Financial Group rose 1.85 percent to 828,000 yen (US$7,126). Mitsubishi Motors Corp. rose 1.01 percent to 200 yen (US$1.7). Supermarket operator Aeon rose 2.49 percent to 2,680 yen (US$23.1).
Traders expect moderate gains the rest of the week as new investment trusts are likely to buy blue chips.
Elsewhere:
BANGKOK: Thai shares jumped 1.5 percent to 734.66 points, led by bargain-hunting in banks by foreign, institutional players after sharp selling last week.
JAKARTA: Indonesia shares closed up 0.7 percent to end at fresh record high, boosted by gains in most Asia markets, firmer local currency and growing hopes that the central bank would cut key interest rate early next month. The Jakarta Stock Exchange main index settled at 1,728.93.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shares gained, led by a rally in plantation shares. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index of 100 blue chips climbed 0.7 percent to 1,068.29 points.
MANILA: Philippine shares dipped amid a lack of market-moving news as investors waited for the release of third-quarter economic growth figures later in the week. The benchmark 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 0.28 point, or 0.01 percent, at 2,817.56.
MUMBAI: Indian stock markets rallied to another record high, led by telecom company Bharti Airtel and state-run Oil & Natural Gas. The Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark 30-stock Sensex gained 70.26 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 13,773.59.
SEOUL: South Korean shares advanced, led by Kookmin Bank, which rebounded from last week's losses, while exporters dropped on the South Korean won's continued rise. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, climbed 3.4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,425.13.
SHANGHAI/SHENZHEN: Chinese shares finished mixed, as Shanghai's main index inched lower on losses in the banking sector, while metals shares buoyed prices in the smaller Shenzhen market. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged down 0.2 percent to 2,047.28. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 1.5 percent to 475.99.
SINGAPORE: Singapore shares advanced as investors ignored last Friday's weak exports and focused on a takeover bid for a Taiwanese semiconductor company and positive news on the local property front. The STI shifted up 26.13 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,840.94.
TAIPEI: Taiwan shares hit a six-year high as chip stocks gained on news of the likely buyout of the island's largest chip packaging firm, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering. The Weighted Price Index of the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose 70.79 points, or 1 percent, to close at 7,498.15. It was the index's 10th straight gain and marked the highest close since Sept. 2000's 7,610.78 points.
WELLINGTON: New Zealand stocks declined as profit downgrades jolted investors after recent merger and acquisition-inspired trading. The benchmark NZX-50 slipped 17.65 points, or 0.5 percent, to 3,831.69.
SYDNEY: Australian shares inched down in slow trading, as investors waited for direction from offshore markets after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index retreated 1.4 points to 5,452.20.
With files from wire services
