Asian share markets higher despite Omicron threat

Asian share markets higher despite Omicron threat

HONG KONG - Asian sharemarkets were gaining ground on Wednesday as the risk appetite of global investors rises heading into year-end, despite the surging number of Omicron variant cases around the world. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.6%, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with gains. Australian shares were down 0.1%, which analysts said was the result of a higher US dollar overnight which weakened appetite for commodities and the sector's related stocks. Japan's Nikkei stock index was 0.1% higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.2% and China's blue-chip CSI 300 Index was 0.23% up in eary trade. Tech stocks were the major driver of the Hong Kong strong open after trading in negative territory for most of the week. A better night on Wall Street provided the positive lead for Asian markets with a sharp rebound in sentiment for U.S stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 560.54 points, or 1.6%, to 35,492.7, the S&P 500 gained 81.21 points, or 1.78%, to 4,649.23 and the Nasdaq Composite added 360.14 points, or 2.4%, to 15,341.09. The jump came despite growing concerns as the spread of the Omicron variant in the lead-up to traditional