Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index and Hang Seng Tech Index rose 1.79 percent and 3.26 percent, respectively, in the first trading hours, leading the benefits in the region.
Nikkei 225 and Topix fell 0.22 percent and 0.24 percent, respectively, after the Bank of Japan’s summary of the meeting’s opinion was released last week. The Japanese yen was last at 129.26 against the US dollar.
South Korea’s gross domestic product shrank 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter, marking the first contraction in more than two years, while Kospi rose 0.6 percent and Kosdaq rose 0.94 percent.
The Philippines’ gross domestic product rose by a strong 7.2 percent in the fourth quarter. Hong Kong to release trade data. Singapore will release December manufacturing output data later in the day.
Markets in China and Australia are closed for a holiday.
Stocks fell drastically overnight as tech shares weakened after Microsoft’s lackluster guidance.
