7.30AM Australia advanced on commodities, Taiwan up on tech stocks.
Asian markets closed higher today, with a great part of the markets closed for public holidays. Shares in Australia gained on strong commodities, the Australian index S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.28% to 5,255.40. The rally was spurred by Bulliton’s optimistic outlook on the copper market, which caught short-seller off-guard on Thursday. Taiwan’s Weighted index finished 0.3% higher to 7,370.44, mainly on tech stock and financial shares, amid the positive revision of Credit Suisse‘s year-end target for Taiwan''s stock index from 7,300 to 8,000 on positive earnings outlook and less political risks. Southeast Asia ended up mixed. Shares in Malaysian advanced 0.76%, while Indonesia shed 0.09%. The Singapore Straits Times Index declined 0.46%. New Zealand’s shares also finished lower, the benchmark NZX-50 Index edging down 1%.