Global Factors Boost Asia Markets
Author: V. Phani Kumar in Hong KongAnd Shri Navaratnam; Puja Rajeev in Singapore</br></br>(Please see Correction .)</br></br>Most Asian markets advanced Thursday, with South Korean equities staging a strong rebound as foreigners turned buyers and snapped up beaten-down stocks, while Chinese banks helped lift Hong Kong shares on an upbeat earnings outlook.</br></br>Japan's Nikkei Stock Average added 0.9%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 0.3%, South Korea's Kospi jumped 2.2%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 inched up 0.1% and Taiwan's Taiex finished 1.4% higher.</br></br>Regional sentiment was underpinned by Wednesday's modest rise on Wall Street, an increase in U.S. index futures, the Federal Reserve's Beige Book report of an improving U.S. economy and accelerating European manufacturing activity.