Investing.com - Asian shares rose in thin trade on Friday with most markets shut for the Lunar New Year holidays.
Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.31%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 posted a 0.23% gain. Commonwealth Bank of Australia rose 1.20% while insurance provider Suncorp rallied 2.85%.
Today marks the start of the Year of the Dog, the latest turn in the 12-year lunar zodiac cycle with China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam markets shut.
Overnight, Wall Street was set to rise on Thursday as investors shrugged off inflation concerns.
The S&P 500 futures rose 0.46% to 2,709.50, while Dow futures increased 227 points or 0.91% and the tech heavy Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.56% to 6,724.25.