TOKYO – Asian shares rose Tuesday on optimism about a potential vaccine for the coronavirus after hopes for a U.S.
economic recovery in the second half of the year sent Wall Street into a rebound. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.5% to finish at 20,433.45.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.8% to 5,559.50. South Korea's Kospi was up 2.2% to 1,980.07. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 2.1% to 24,442.42, while the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.7% to 2,895.46.
India's Sensex added 1.8% to 30,558.23 and markets also rose in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. “The mood is assertively risk-on with sentiment having been tipped over by fresh hopes sparked for a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Jingyi Pan, market strategist for IG.