Asian stocks rallied, with the regional index headed for its biggest quarterly advance since 2012 amid optimism over global economic stimulus. The dollar maintained gains, while crude oil extended losses into a third day.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index snapped a three-day drop, rising 0.5 per cent by 9.58am in Tokyo to be set for a 6.8 per cent advance over the past three months. Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures added 0.1 per cent following a second day of gains in the US gauge.
Japanese and Australian indexes jumped more than 0.7 per cent, with the yen and Australia's dollar near one-week lows. The South Korean won weakened 0.3 per cent. US oil slid 0.9 per cent, while gold held two days of declines.
Global equities have climbed almost 3 per cent this year as central banks from Europe to Asia bolster stimulus to address slowing growth. China announced measures aimed at stemming a property slump Monday after central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said more can be done to support the economy.
Asian stocks outside Japan rose, paring weekly losses as US equity-index futures advanced. The yen held gains after inflation slowed more than forecast, while crude oil fell, trimming its best weekly climb since 2011.
The MSCI Asia Pacific excluding Japan Index added 0.1 per cent by 9.28 am in Tokyo, reducing its retreat in the week to 0.2 per cent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rebounded from its worst day this year, while Japan's Topix index headed for its first weekly decline since mid-January with the yen near a five- week high. Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures climbed 0.2 per cent following the gauge's longest slump since January. US oil slipped 1 per cent, paring its 11 per cent jump in the week.
Core inflation in Japan slowed to 2 per cent in February, trailing the 2.1 per cent projected by economists. Retail trade data is also due Friday, while China reports on industrial company profits before an update on fourth-quarter US growth. Mixed data in the past week has fueled concern over the American economy as analysts predict the forthcoming earnings season will see the first contraction in profits since 2009. Yemen has emerged as the latest ground for a proxy fight between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.
Asian markets wound back on Thursday, in line with a hefty sell-off on Wall Street, after surprisingly weak US data hinted at ongoing weakness in the world's number one economy.
The euro maintained its recent strength against the dollar and yen, boosted by receding expectations of an early US rate hike and upbeat indicators out of the eurozone.
Oil prices also enjoyed support from concerns about unrest in the crude-rich Middle East following news that Saudi Arabian jets had struck rebel positions in neighbouring Yemen.
In early trade Tokyo sank 1.56 per cent from a 15-year high, while Sydney lost 1.30 per cent, Seoul shed 0.74 per cent, Hong Kong shed 0.30 per cent and Shanghai slipped 0.55 per cent.
Asian equity markets turned lower on Tuesday after a gauge of Chinese manufacturing plunged to an 11-month low in March, while the euro was boosted by hopes of a breakthrough in Greece's bailout talks with Germany.
Comments from the US Federal Reserve's vice chairman suggesting interest rates would rise slower than expected put further downward pressure on the dollar.
Shanghai - which rose Monday for a ninth straight session to a near seven year high - sank 0.60 per cent, while Hong Kong lost 0.33 per cent.
Tokyo shed 0.19 per cent and Seoul was 0.11 per cent lower. Sydney was flat.
Global markets have been on a broad uptrend since the Fed on Wednesday tempered talk of an early summer rate hike by saying there were still weaknesses in the US economy.
However, traders retreated to the sidelines on Tuesday after HSBC's preliminary purchasing managers' index (PMI) suggested manufacturing activity saw a surprise contraction in March.
Asian markets mostly advanced Monday following rallies on Wall Street and in Europe, while the dollar continued to struggle after the Federal Reserve dampened expectations for an early interest rate hike.
Tokyo rose 0.83 per cent, Hong Kong gained 0.37 per cent, Seoul added 0.10 per cent and Shanghai was up 0.63 per cent, marking a ninth successive rise. Sydney eased 0.34 per cent.
With few catalysts to drive business early in the week investors took their lead from their US counterparts, who have been cheered by the Fed's dovish comments on rates.
While the central bank opened the door Wednesday for a rise this year, it said there were still weaknesses in the US economy, including low inflation and soft manufacturing. The news sent global shares soaring and the dollar tumbling.
Asian markets mostly retreated on Friday as investors took their cash off the table after the previous day's rally that was fuelled by the Federal Reserve's dovish interest rate outlook.
The dollar was slightly lower against the euro and yen, but analysts said they expect the currency to resume its advance as the Fed prepares for a rate hike while the Japanese and European central banks print more cash.
Providing support to the euro on Friday was news that Greece has agreed to give creditors a new list of reforms within days in order to secure bailout funds.
Tokyo dipped 0.17 per cent, Hong Kong lost 0.21 per cent and Seoul gave back 0.21 per cent, while Sydney was flat but Shanghai gained 0.17 per cent.
The euro and yen maintained their gains against the dollar, while most equity markets outside Japan rallied after comments by the US Federal Reserve cooled expectations of an early summer hike.
While the central bank opened the door for a rise from six years of zero percent rates, it lowered its forecasts for economic growth and inflation and stressed it would remain cautious before making any move.
The news sent US stocks surging, providing a strong platform for regional indexes.
Hong Kong climbed 0.62 per cent, Sydney surged 1.64 per cent and Seoul added 0.24 per cent, while Singapore was up 0.35 per cent.
Asian shares got a boost on Tuesday from Wall Street's rise, as investors positioned for the possibility that weaker-than-expected US data will prompt the Federal Reserve to adopt a cautious stance this week.
Crude oil remained under pressure from a global supply glut, after US crude lost as much as 4 per cent in the previous session to hit a six-year low. It was last down about 0.4 per cent at US$43.72 a barrel.
The Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to begin its two-day policy meeting later on Tuesday, and many analysts had expected the central bank to drop the word "patient" from its formal statement on the timing of its first interest rate increase since 2006. Economists polled by Reuters split almost evenly on whether a rate increase will come in June or later in the year.
Asian markets mostly rose Friday following a surge on Wall Street after unexpectedly weak US data tempered talk of an interest rate hike by summer.
Despite the easing rate expectations, the dollar maintained its strength against the yen and euro after retreating slightly from multi-year highs Thursday.
Tokyo jumped 1.08 per cent, Hong Kong added 0.11 per cent, Seoul gained 0.88 per cent and Shanghai put on 0.30 per cent but Sydney eased 0.62 per cent.
The broad gains across the region followed Thursday's bargain hunting-filled advances and top off a tough week for global investors after last Friday's strong US jobs report ratcheted up speculation about a Federal Reserve rate hike.
The dollar edged closer towards parity with the euro on Thursday after the European Central Bank kicked off its stimulus programme this week, while Asian equity markets recovered slightly from a recent sell-off.
Sydney shares were given a lift by data showing Australia's unemployment rate had eased slightly, while South Korea became the latest country to cut interest rates as it struggles to fight off deflation.
Tokyo rose 0.88 per cent, Sydney added 0.88 per cent while Seoul gained 0.22 per cent and Hong Kong put on 0.11 per cent.
Shanghai advanced 0.73 per cent.
Asian stocks fell to a two-month low on Wednesday as nervous markets recoiled on worries about an earlier US interest rate hike, while such a prospect helped send the dollar to a 12-year high against the euro.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.3 per cent after touching its lowest since January. Australian and South Korean shares each lost 0.5 per cent and Malaysian and Indonesian stocks also declined.
Riskier assets both in the United States and elsewhere have come under pressure after Friday's robust US employment data increased expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise rates as soon as June -a prospect that appeared relatively more remote a few weeks prior.
The possibility of higher US yields siphoning away funds from riskier assets gave the S&P 500, at a record high two weeks ago, its worst decline in two months overnight and emerging market stocks declined to their lowest since early January.
Asian stocks buckled while the US dollar held firm in early Monday trade after strong US jobs data fanned expectations that the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates sooner than previously thought.
Japan's Nikkei fell 0.7 per cent while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.5 per cent.
The US Labor Department said on Friday that US employers added 295,000 workers in February, beating a forecast of 240,000. It marked the longest run of 200,000-plus increases since 1994.
Hong Kong and Shanghai markets led a broad Asian sell-off on Thursday after China set tepid 2015 economic and trade growth targets, while the euro struggled to recover from 11-year lows ahead of a key European Central Bank meeting.
Wall Street provided a negative lead again despite an upbeat report on the state of the US economy and another round of healthy private-sector jobs growth.
Hong Kong fell 0.78 per cent and Shanghai lost 0.56 per cent, while Sydney slipped 0.26 per cent.
Tokyo added 0.22 per cent by lunch and Seoul was flat.
Asia markets mostly fell Wednesday following a retreat on Wall Street fuelled by profit-taking, with Tokyo hit by a stronger yen and Sydney dipping after data showed Australia's economy grew slower than expected last year.
With few trading cues investors are keeping a watch on the start of China's annual parliament meeting Thursday as well as European Central Bank details on its new bond-purchase scheme.
Tokyo slid 1.01 per cent, Sydney shed 0.56 per cent, Hong Kong lost 0.24 per cent and Seoul eased 0.13 per cent. Shanghai, which tumbled 2.20 per cent Tuesday, edged up 0.21 per cent.
"The lack of fresh sparks has prompted investors to take profits and wait for new signals," Matthew Sherwood, Sydney-based head of investment markets research at Perpetual Ltd, told Bloomberg News.
Asian equities stuttered in early trade on Tuesday after healthy gains in the previous session attracted profit-takers, offsetting a strong lead from Wall Street.
Shanghai lost 1.03 per cent after rallying Monday in response to the Chinese central bank's weekend interest rate cut, while Hong Kong pared an initial advance to sit marginally lower.
Tokyo eased 0.21 per cent and Seoul was flat, while Sydney edged up 0.12 per cent ahead of a closely watched interest rate decision by Australia's central bank later in the day.
US shares added to their six-year bull run Monday, with the Dow and S&P 500 again ending at record highs, while the Nasdaq surged above 5,000 for the first time since 2000, when the dot-com bubble burst.
Asian markets mostly rose Monday after China at the weekend cut interest rates for the second time since November, while better-than-forecast US economic data helped push the dollar up against the yen.
Several key events will also be taking investors' attention this week, including a meeting of China's Communist Party, the European Central Bank and the release of US jobs figures.
Hong Kong added 0.70 per cent, Shanghai gained 0.68 per cent, Tokyo climbed 0.26 per cent by the break, Sydney put on 0.71 per cent and Seoul was 0.33 per cent higher.
The People's Bank of China on Saturday cut interest rates by 25 basis points, citing "historically low inflation" among the factors behind its decision.
Asian markets were largely flat in morning trade Friday after the dollar firmed on US inflation data, while disappointing Japanese figures challenged Tokyo's war on falling prices.
Japanese inflation slowed for a sixth straight month in January - dampened by weak consumer spending and falling energy prices - its lowest level since Tokyo launched an offensive on falling prices and tepid growth nearly two years ago.
Tokyo ticked up 0.07 per cent, Hong Kong added 0.54 per cent and Shanghai edged down 0.08 percent. Seoul slipped 0.12 per cent while Sydney was up 0.37 per cent and Wellington added 0.08 per cent. Markets in Taiwan were closed for a public holiday.
The dollar eased Friday after rallying on inflation data that pointed to rising price pressures in some areas of the US economy, which could ease the way for the Fed to hike interest rates.
Asian stocks broadly rose Wednesday after US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen damped speculation of a rate hike before summer, and as eurozone finance ministers backed Greek reforms critical to avoiding a disastrous default.
The regional uptrend tracked fresh record highs on Wall Street and in Europe as investors breathed a cautious sigh of relief over the Greek package, which gives Athens a lifeline to pay its bills - for now - and sidestep an almost certain exit from the eurozone.
Asian stocks were mixed Tuesday as investors awaited proposed Greek reforms that are critical to winning an extension on its bailout, while US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's Congressional testimony was also in focus.
Tokyo's Nikkei index ticked up 0.13 per cent, Sydney edged 0.08 per cent higher, Seoul rose 0.51 per cent, while Wellington fell 0.56 per cent.
Hong Kong was down 0.51 per cent in morning deals while Taipei jumped 1.05 per cent in post-holiday trade.
Mainland Chinese markets are still closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Asian stocks were mostly higher on Monday morning as investors cheered a last-minute deal to extend Greece's bailout by four months, giving Athens a lifeline to pay its bills and avoid a damaging default.
Tokyo led the charge with the benchmark Nikkei extending a 15-year high as it rose 0.81 per cent by the break, while Sydney was up 0.52 per cent, Wellington added 0.11 per cent, and Seoul climbed 0.41 per cent. Hong Kong fell 0.53 per cent.
Exchanges in Taiwan and mainland China are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
