TOKYO – Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday following a rally on Wall Street and even oil prices recovering from their recent plunge to zero.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.5% to finish at 19,429.44, while South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.1% to 1,914.73. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost earlier gains to inch down nearly 0.1% to 5,217.10.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up 0.6% to 24,036.84, while the Shanghai Composite inched down 0.1% to 2,839.87. Prakash Sakpal and Nicholas Mapa, economists at ING, said a rise in oil prices, which have been crashing, will help Asian shares somewhat. “But rising Covid-19 cases in the region will likely cap any rally,” they said in a commentary.