Asian stock markets lift on Monday

Calcutta News.Net
Monday 5th January, 2009

Asian stock markets have risen in the first week since the new year break with the benchmark indices in Tokyo and Shanghai gaining more than 2 percent.

Investor hopes were lifted by Wall Street’s performance during last week’s shortened sessions.

Rising crude oil prices lifted energy firms, and Japanese shares got a boost from a weakening yen, which helps the country's exporters.

The Nikkei 225 stock average gained 183.56 points to 9,043.1.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed to 15,172.67.

In mainland China, Shanghai's key index gained 2.1 percent to 1,859.84.

Taiwan and Thailand's benchmarks were up more than 2 percent, with stock measures in Singapore and South Korea higher as well.

Australia was the only market in the region that traded lower.

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