Updated on
Summary
Asian stocks jumped Wednesday after the Dow closed at a two-and-a-half-year high on the back of data indicating the US economy is gaining strength while easing tensions in Egypt added to sentiment.Tokyo's Nikkei surged 1.78 percent, or 182.86 points, to end at 10,457.36 and Sydney closed 0.93 percent, or 44.4 points, higher at 4,796.5.Hong Kong ended 1.81 percent, or 426.01 points, higher at 23,908.96.The Hong Kong market was open for just half a day due to the Lunar New Year holidays while Shanghai, Seoul and Taipei were closed.The broader S&P 500 index jumped 1.67 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 1.89 percent. Fears about unrest in Egypt eased late Tuesday after President Hosni Mubarak said he would step down after elections.
