Asian stocks edged up on Thursday, encouraged by a rally in crude oil prices and expectations that the European Central Bank will ease policy later in the day, emulating policymakers elsewhere seeking to bolster their struggling economies.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS nudged up 0.3 percent.
Japanese stocks rose for the first time in four days on Thursday after a bounce in oil prices overnight strengthened risk appetite, while exporters benefited from a weaker yen and expectations of further easing from the European Central Bank.
The Nikkei share average rose 1.3 percent to 16,852.35.
Hong Kong shares gave up initial gains and ended slightly lower on Thursday, with sentiment soured by an extended slide in mainland shares in afternoon trading.
The Hang Seng index fell 0.1 percent, to 19,984.42, while the China Enterprises Index lost 0.3 percent, to 8,420.14 points.
Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.0 percent, to 2,804.73 points
Reference: Reuters
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