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Asian stocks ended broadly higher on Monday after Wall Street’s main indexes set record highs on Friday amid signs of a slowdown in the rate of coronavirus<\/span> infections and the progress being made with vaccines. <\/p>\n Japanese shares posted strong gains, with hopes for U.S. stimulus measures, solid domestic growth data and approval of Japan’s first vaccine boosting sentiment.<\/p>\n The Nikkei average gained 564.08 points, or 1.91 percent, to close at 30,084.15, marking its highest closing level since Aug. 2, 1990. Mining, precision instrument, and oil and coal product-linked issues were among the prominent gainers. <\/p>\n Japan’s GDP expanded a seasonally adjusted 3.0 percent sequentially in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report. That exceeded expectations for an increase of 2.3 percent following the 5.3 percent gain in the previous three months.<\/p>\n On an annualized basis, GDP spiked 12.7 percent – again beating forecasts for a gain of 9.5 percent following the 22.9 percent surge in the three months prior.<\/p>\n Australian markets<\/span> rose sharply as investors reacted to positive corporate earnings. The benchmark S&P\/ASX 200 index climbed 62.20 points, or 0.91 percent, to 6,868.90, while the broader All Ordinaries index ended up 68.40 points, or 0.97 percent, at 7,149.70.<\/p>\n Bendigo and Adelaide Bank surged 11.3 percent as it reported a 67 percent rise in half-year profit. Retailer JB Hi-Fi jumped over 3 percent after posting an 86 percent rise in first-half profit.<\/p>\n Mining heavyweights BHP and Rio Tinto rose around 2 percent while banks ANZ, NAB and Westpac gained between 1.2 percent and 1.6 percent. <\/p>\n Energy stocks ended broadly higher, with Oil Search rallying 3.5 percent after oil prices gained around 5 percent last week. <\/p>\n Seven West Media soared 6.4 percent after it struck a licensing deal with Google to provide content for the tech company’s News Showcase product.<\/p>\n Coca-Cola Amatil climbed 2.1 percent after the European arm of drinks giant Coca Cola raised its offer price in a takeover bid for the local operator. <\/p>\n Seoul stocks hit three-week highs after the release of upbeat exports data. The benchmark Kospi jumped 46.42 points, or 1.50 percent, to 3,147.00, the highest close since Jan 25 as trading resumed after a long holiday weekend. <\/p>\n South Korea’s exports surged an annual 69.1 percent during the first 10 days of February, customs agency data showed, driven by a sales boost in major export products and strong overseas demand. Market heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rallied 3.2 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively.<\/p>\n New Zealand shares fell notably as Auckland’s residents were plunged into a new three-day level 3 lockdown on Sunday and a survey showed the services sector in the country continued to contract in January, and at a faster pace. The benchmark NZX-50 index dropped 79.08 points, or 0.63 percent, to 12,510.56.<\/p>\n Markets in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong were closed for the Lunar New Year.<\/p>\n U.S. stocks closed at record highs on Friday as coronavirus cases continued to fall and data showed an unexpected deterioration in U.S. consumer sentiment, raising expectations for additional fiscal stimulus. <\/p>\n The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 both rose around half a percent. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Business News<\/p>\n<\/div>\n