UNB :
Asian stocks mostly advanced Thursday after a rebound in technology shares lifted Wall Street and a softer U.S. dollar made regional assets more attractive.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.2per cent to 42,437.37, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.6per cent and South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.2per cent.
Taiwan rose 0.7per cent and India’s Sensex climbed 0.6per cent. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.1per cent to 25,006.22 and Shanghai’s Composite dropped nearly 2per cent to 3,738.32 amid concerns of tighter regulatory controls.
On Wall Street Wednesday, Alphabet jumped 9.1per cent after easing fears in its antitrust case, fueling a broader tech rally. The S&P 500 rose 0.5per cent, ending a two-day slide, while the Nasdaq added 1per cent and the Dow slipped 0.1per cent.
Bond yields also eased after weak U.S. job openings data boosted expectations the Federal Reserve could cut rates this month. The 10-year Treasury yield retreated to 4.22per cent from 4.28per cent.
Lower rates could support growth but also risk fueling inflation, especially as tariffs raise import costs.
In commodities, U.S. crude fell 42 cents to $63.55 a barrel, while Brent lost 35 cents to $67.25. The dollar edged up to 148.24 yen, while the euro slipped to $1.1653.
