Asian Shares Rise

Asian shares were higher Thursday after stocks advanced on Wall Street with encouraging reports about the potential impact of the omicron variant of coronavirus and stronger U.S. economic data, the Associated Press reported.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.8% to 28,798.37. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng edged 0.4% higher to 23,186.55. The Shanghai Composite index picked up 0.5% to 3,639.12. South Korea’s Kospi climbed 0.4% to 2,997.11, while the S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.3% to 7,387.60.

In other trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 18 cents to $72.94 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It jumped 2.3% on Wednesday. Brent crude, the basis for pricing international crude, picked up 15 cents to $75.43 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar rose to 114.20 Japanese yen from 114.09 yen late Wednesday. The euro was at $1.1338, up from $1.1329.