Investing.com – Asian stocks were broadly higher on Tuesday, amid cooling geopolitical tensions on the Korean peninsula and as commodity-linked shares led markets higher.
During late Asian trade, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged 1.64%, South Korea's Kospi Composite added 0.83%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index jumped 1.51%.
The Nikkei’s gains came as shares in the commodity sector performed strongly after crude oil and metal prices advanced.
Shares in Japan’s second-largest commodities trader Mitsui & Co. climbed 0.84%, miners Mitsui Mining & Smelting saw shares jump 1.14%, while shares in JX Holdings, which owns Japan’s top copper producer Pan Pacific Copper, soared 1.48%.
Earlier in the day, the Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate and the size of its asset-buying fund unchanged, in line with expectations.
Meanwhile, shares in many of the big name Japanese exporters advanced. Shares in electronic giant Sony rallied 2.73%, the world’s largest digital camera maker Canon saw shares jump 1.58%, while shares in Japan’s largest maker of industrial robots Fanuc soared 2.22%
Elsewhere, shares in the world’s third largest publicly traded cigarette maker Japan Tobacco surged 3.97% after the stock was upgraded by both Citigroup and UBS.
In Hong Kong, markets were led higher by shares in the energy sector. Shares in China’s largest offshore oil producer Cnooc Limited surged 2.82%, China’s largest oil and gas company PetroChina saw shares jump 1.85%, while shares in Shenhua Energy soared 4.88%.
Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 0.75%, as shares in the financial and mining sector advanced broadly. Shares in the world’s largest mining group BHP Billiton saw shares jump 1.34%, while shares in rivals Rio Tinto added 1.46%.
Elsewhere, shares in Australia’s largest lender National Australia Bank saw shares leap 1.17%, while ANZ Banking Group saw shares surge 1.80%.
The outlook for European equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat. The EURO STOXX 50 futures pointed to a gain of 0.49%, France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a rise of 0.51%, the FTSE 100 futures pointed to an increase of 0.37%, while Germany's DAX futures were up 0.36%.
Earlier in the day, data showed that the Gfk index of German consumer confidence slipped slightly lower in December, following a substantial rise the previous month.
During late Asian trade, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged 1.64%, South Korea's Kospi Composite added 0.83%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index jumped 1.51%.
The Nikkei’s gains came as shares in the commodity sector performed strongly after crude oil and metal prices advanced.
Shares in Japan’s second-largest commodities trader Mitsui & Co. climbed 0.84%, miners Mitsui Mining & Smelting saw shares jump 1.14%, while shares in JX Holdings, which owns Japan’s top copper producer Pan Pacific Copper, soared 1.48%.
Earlier in the day, the Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate and the size of its asset-buying fund unchanged, in line with expectations.
Meanwhile, shares in many of the big name Japanese exporters advanced. Shares in electronic giant Sony rallied 2.73%, the world’s largest digital camera maker Canon saw shares jump 1.58%, while shares in Japan’s largest maker of industrial robots Fanuc soared 2.22%
Elsewhere, shares in the world’s third largest publicly traded cigarette maker Japan Tobacco surged 3.97% after the stock was upgraded by both Citigroup and UBS.
In Hong Kong, markets were led higher by shares in the energy sector. Shares in China’s largest offshore oil producer Cnooc Limited surged 2.82%, China’s largest oil and gas company PetroChina saw shares jump 1.85%, while shares in Shenhua Energy soared 4.88%.
Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 0.75%, as shares in the financial and mining sector advanced broadly. Shares in the world’s largest mining group BHP Billiton saw shares jump 1.34%, while shares in rivals Rio Tinto added 1.46%.
Elsewhere, shares in Australia’s largest lender National Australia Bank saw shares leap 1.17%, while ANZ Banking Group saw shares surge 1.80%.
The outlook for European equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat. The EURO STOXX 50 futures pointed to a gain of 0.49%, France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a rise of 0.51%, the FTSE 100 futures pointed to an increase of 0.37%, while Germany's DAX futures were up 0.36%.
Earlier in the day, data showed that the Gfk index of German consumer confidence slipped slightly lower in December, following a substantial rise the previous month.