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· Asian shares pulled ahead on Thursday as corporate earnings and a ceasefire in northern Syria helped prop up sentiment, though the backdrop of trade and brexit uncertainties was enough to prevent a decisive shift towards riskier assets.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced0.3% with Japan’s Nikkei finishing up 0.55% after hitting a one-year high. Australian shares climbed 0.3%.

Risk appetite was also aided after U.S. President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Turkey saying a ceasefire in northern Syria was now permanent.

· Japan’s Nikkei index rallied to its highest level in more than a year on Thursday, as investors bought back recently beaten down semiconductor-related shares on optimism for improved corporate earnings.

The Nikkei benchmark share average ended up 0.55% at 22,750.60. It earlier rose to 22,780.99, the highest since Oct. 18, 2018. So far it is up13% for the year.

Shares rose for the fourth consecutive trading session as investors who recently sold off Japanese technology stocks turned into bargain hunters following Microsoft Corp’s higher-than-expected sales forecasts for its cloud computing services.

A slightly weaker yen, which tends to boost earnings repatriated from overseas, also supported share prices of Japan’s

· China stocks ended flat on Thursday in lacklustre trading, as investors awaited more policy signals ahead of a key meeting of the ruling Communist Party next week.

The blue-chip CSI300 index was unchanged at 3,870.67, while the Shanghai Composite Index was also flat at 2,940.92.

China's ruling Communist Party will hold a key meeting of its senior leadership next week after an unusually long delay since the last one, state media said, as the country grapples with issues ranging from a slowing economy to unrest in Hong Kong.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.3% in early trade, with autos rising 1.1% to lead gains while tech stocks slipped 1%.