release of data showing exports fell 4% in November, while imports dropped 11% from a year earlier. Exports of vehicles, semiconductors and other manufactured items showed the biggest declines.
However, a monthly survey of manufacturers showed conditions improving, with the purchasing managers index at preliminary reading of 49.7 on a scale up to 100 where 50 markets the cut off for expansion.
It was a 20-month high for the purchasing managers index of au Jibun Bank. The PMI was at 49.0 in November. Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 0.8% to 26,412.50 and the Kospi in South Korea rose 0.5% to 2,771.20.Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.7% to 6,679.20 and the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.1% higher, to 3,370.44.