Asian shares rose moderately in quiet holiday trading on Good Friday as some markets were closed.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.5 per cent in early trading to 22,191.98. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3 per cent to 2,221.1. The Shanghai Composite gained 0.6 per cent to 3,269.59.
Some markets remain closed for a national holiday, including in the US, Hong Kong, Australia and parts of Europe, reports AP.
Overnight, major US stock indexes capped the holiday shortened week with slight gains, although the marginal upward move was not enough to keep the benchmark S&P 500 index from snapping a string of three straight weekly gains.
The S&P 500 gained 4.58 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 2,905.03. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 110 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 26,559.54.
The Nasdaq composite inched 1.98 points higher, or less than 0.1 per cent, to 7,998.06. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap dropped 1.85 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 1,565.75.
Benchmark US crude oil added 7 cents to $64.07 a barrel. It rose 0.4 per cent to settle at $64 per barrel Thursday. Brent crude, the international standard, added 0.5 per cent to $71.97 per barrel.
The dollar rose slightly to 111.92 Japanese yen from 111.89 yen late Thursday. The euro weakened to $1.1241 from $1.1258.
