Asian stocks rose for the first time in three days on unexpected positive news on US manufacturing activity. Confidence boosters were also comments from Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke which renewed the central bank's commitment to support growth.
Samsung Electronics, South Korea's largest exporter of consumer electronics, gained 1,3 percent. Nexon Co. jumped 8,9% after the online game maker agreed to buy mobile game developer Gloops for 36,5 billion yen. Softbank climbed 2,6% on the announcement of the purchase of rival eAccess.
The MSCI Asia Pacific index gained 0,2% to 122.18 as of 9:54 am in Tokyo, with three stocks up for every two stocks down. Markets in China, Hong Kong and India were closed for public holidays. The regional benchmark rose 4% in September on speculation that China would add new stimulus measures, following in the footsteps of the US and Japan. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 0,2 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0,4%, while New Zealand's NZX 50 Index rose 0,6 percent. Finally, the South Korean Kospi scored a +0,2 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-02/asian-stocks-advance-on-u-s-manufacturing-expansion.html
