Publications
Partners
Hong Kong - Asian markets mostly rose on Monday, buoyed by another record close on Wall Street in response to an impressive US jobs report, an upward revision of Japanese economic growth and healthy Chinese export figures.
The euro ticked up as the upbeat outlook provided enough confidence for traders to look into higher yielding, higher risk assets.
Tokyo rose 0.31% to 15 124.00 - a three-month high - while Hong Kong gained 0.79 points, to 23 117.47.
Shanghai was flat, edging up 0.55 points to 2 030.50 but Seoul eased 0.27% to 1 990.04.
Sydney was closed for a public holiday.
US shares continued their recent run of records on Friday after the Labour Department said the world's biggest economy added a net 217 000 jobs in May, in line with expectations.
Economists cheered the solid report, which marked the fourth straight month that more than 200 000 jobs had been created.
The figures are the latest in a string of data out of the United States indicating its economic recovery is well on track, even as the Federal Reserve winds down its multi-billion dollar stimulus programme.
The Dow climbed 0.52% and the S&P 500 jumped 0.46%, both ending at record highs. The tech-rich Nasdaq added 0.59% to close at its best level since mid-March.
On Monday, Japan unveiled revised data showing its economy grew 1.6% in the first quarter of 2013 as consumers stepped up shopping before April's sales tax rise - the strongest in more than two years.
On an annualised basis - a hypothetical figure that stretches the pace of growth over the course of a year - the economy grew 6.7%.
Sunday saw China release figures showing the country's key exports jumped 7% in May, much better than the 0.9% seen in April and in line with forecasts of 7.2%.
However, imports dipped surprisingly, meaning the trade surplus surged 75% year on year to $35.92bn, much more than expectations of $23.4bn.
The results came a week after reports showed a solid increase in manufacturing activity, easing concerns about the strength of the Asian economic giant and key driver of global growth.
On foreign exchange markets the yen, considered a safe bet in times of uncertainty, eased against the euro.
The euro briefly topped ¥140 in morning Tokyo trade before easing back to ¥139.84, although that is still up from the ¥139.80 in late New York trade on Friday.
The single currency was also at $1.3650 against $1.3641.
The dollar, however, gave up earlier gains to buy ¥102.43 compared with ¥102.50.
In oil trade US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for July delivery, gained 40 cents to $103.06 a barrel in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for July rose 28c to $108.89.
Gold fetched $1 254.76 an ounce at 10:10 compared with $1 251.85 late on Friday.
In other markets:
- Taipei rose 0.31% to 9 162.74.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.41% higher at Tw$123.0 while leading chip design house MediaTek added 1.80% to Tw$509.0.
- Wellington was flat, nudging up 4.91 points to 5 187.35.
Chorus gained 0.58% to NZ$1.72, Fletcher Building was off 0.44% at NZ$9.15 and Air New Zealand was steady at NZ$2.21.
- Manila closed 0.59% higher, adding 40.11 points to 6 802.73.
