Asian Stocks Rise

Asian Stocks Rise

Beijing, January 4, 2021, SPA -- Asian stock markets rose Monday on 2021's first trading day, boosted by optimism about coronavirus vaccines after Wall Street ended the year on a new high.

The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.8% to 3,499.02 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 0.5% to 27,366.10.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo declined 0.7% to 27,243.14.

India's Sensex opened up less than 0.1% at 47,923.24. Singapore and Jakarta also advanced while Bangkok declined, AP reported.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude gained 56 cents to $49.08 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 12 cents on Thursday to $48.52. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 67 cents to $52.47 per barrel in London. It rose 17 cents the previous session to $51.80.

The dollar declined to 103.03 yen from Thursday's 103.27. The euro rose to $1.2254 from $1.2211.

--SPA

11:21 LOCAL TIME 08:21 GMT

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