Asian shares extended gains on Tuesday, pulled higher by financials and a rebound in oil prices, while the Australian dollar hit a two-week high as investors trimmed expectations for a central bank rate cut this year.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS gained 0.8 percent, extending earlier gains. Australia's benchmark index was up 0.4 percent while Japanese stocks .N225 edged higher on a softer yen. European shares are expected to open higher, tracking the Asian moves.
Tokyo stocks edged up on Tuesday, helped by buying in stocks which are sensitive to domestic demand, but gains were limited as investors looked to fresh catalysts from Japan Inc's interim earnings starting later this week.
The Nikkei rose 0.4 percent to 16,963.61, with real estate and construction sectors outperforming.
China stocks rallied on Tuesday, as Shanghai's U.S. dollar-denominated B shares stabilised following the previous day's sell-off, and as investors shifted their focus to Chinese economic data this week.
The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 1.3 percent, to 3,321.33, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.4 percent to 3,083.88 points.
Hong Kong shares rose the most in one-and-a-half months on Tuesday, helped by a rebound in Chinese stocks as Shanghai's U.S. dollar-denominated B shares stabilised following the previous day's sell-off.
The Hang Seng index rose 1.5 percent to 23,388.37 points, while the China Enterprises Index gained 1.9 percent to 9,722.75.
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