TOKYO (AP) – Asian shares were mixed Friday, with some markets reflecting the optimism on Wall Street as worries abated about the health of the U.S. economy.
ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.1 percent to 18,291.80. But South Korea’s Kospi inched down nearly 0.2 percent to 2,030.26. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.5 percent to 22,995.64, while the Shanghai Composite in mainland China was up 1.4 percent at 3,385.45. Other regional markets were mixed, with shares rising in Singapore, the Philippines and Taiwan, while falling in Thailand and Indonesia.
WALL STREET: The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 29.62 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,023.86. That was the biggest one-day gain for the index since Oct. 5.The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 217 points, or 1.3 percent, to 17,141.75. The Nasdaq composite rose 87.25 points, or 1.8 percent, to 4,870.10.
BANK OF JAPAN: Expectations are growing that Japan’s central bank will come up with more stimulus measures this month or next month. That helped send the Nikkei higher.
THE QUOTE: “The focus over the next several months will be whether or not the BOJ eases further,” said Andres Jaime Martinez at Barclays Research, using the acronym for the Bank of Japan.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude added 67 cents to $47.05 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 51 cents to $50.24.
CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 119.04 yen from 118.38 yen. The euro cost $1.1390, down from $1.1435.
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