Asian shares mixed after Easter break
Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday, in the first full day's trade after the Easter break, with Wall Street providing another strong lead.
The dollar held on to its gains enjoyed against the yen on Monday after Japan posted another massive trade deficit.
Tokyo gained 0.30 per cent, Sydney added 0.44 per cent and Seoul was flat, while Hong Kong eased 0.14 per cent and Shanghai dipped 0.13 per cent.
Business remained thin as traders returned from the long weekend, while markets in Sydney and Wellington will also be closed Friday for Anzac Day.
US shares jumped for a fifth straight session Monday thanks to solid earnings reports from firms including Halliburton and Hasbro. Attention is now on earnings reports expected this week from top firms including McDonald's, United Technologies and AT&T.
The Dow gained 0.25 per cent, the S&P 500 rose 0.38 per cent and the Nasdaq added 0.64 per cent.
Wall Street's advances follow a torrid week earlier this month when tech players such as Twitter and Facebook were sold off on fears they were overvalued. Those companies have now clawed back much of their losses.
In Japan the earnings season gets under way next week with the release of reports from big names including Honda, Panasonic and Japan Airlines.
On currency markets the dollar was at 102.69 yen, compared with 102.62 yen late in New York.
The Japanese unit dipped Monday after the government said its trade deficit in March quadrupled year on year to $14 billion owing to the rising cost of importing fossil fuels and consumers rushing to buy ahead of the April 1 sales tax hike.
The euro bought 141.53 yen and $1.3789 against 141.58 yen and $1.3794.
Oil prices were lower. New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for May delivery, dipped nine cents to $104.28 in early Asian trade while Brent North Sea crude for June also eased 14 cents to $109.81 a barrel.
Gold fetched $1,287.85 an ounce at 0210 GMT, compared with $1,287.37 on Monday.
