Tokyo, Japan (BBN) – Japanese shares have started the week higher, following Friday’s strong US jobs figures.
The US economy added a better-than-expected 255,000 jobs in July, fuelling speculation that interest rates could rise before the end of the year.
Wall Street markets had subsequently closed up higher setting the cue for Asia’s Monday open.
The region’s biggest market, the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo, moved higher by 2.2 per cent to 16,606.80, reports BBC.
In China, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up by 0.5 per cent to 22,266.11 while the mainland Shanghai Composite remained flat in early trading.
Australia’s ASX 200 was 0.7 per cent higher at 5,537.10 points.
A strengthening iron ore price saw gains particularly for the country’s mining sector with industry giants Rio Tinto up by 1.6 per cent and BHP Billiton by 2.1 per cent.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index also followed the region’s trend and traded 0.3 per cent higher at 2,023.80.
BBN/SSR/AD
