HONG KONG, Nov 22, 2013 (AFP) Asian markets mostly rose on Friday after the Dow closed above the 16,000 level for the first time on the back of a slew of upbeat economic data.
The dollar eased slightly against the yen, although the generally upbeat outlook helped it hold some of its recent gains, while the euro remained buoyant after the head of the European Central Bank quelled rumours of a further interest rate cut.
Tokyo rose 0.10 percent, or 16.12 points, to 15,381.72, well off earlier highs as the yen made inroads against the dollar in the afternoon.
Sydney advanced 0.90 percent, or 47.6 points, to 5,335.9 and Seoul added 0.62 percent, or 12.45 points, to 2,006.23.
Hong Kong was 0.49 percent higher, adding 115.99 points to 23,696.28. Shanghai ended 0.43 percent lower, slipping 9.39 points to 2,196.38 as profit-takers moved in after the index rose more than three percent over the week when Beijing unveiled a blueprint for reforming the economy.
Traders took a lead from New York, where the Dow rallied to another record high thanks to data showing a drop in weekly US jobless claims and a pick-up in manufacturing activity in November.
Analysts also cited the Senate Banking Committee's confirmation of Federal Reserve vice chair Janet Yellen to take over the central bank.
Yellen is considered a fiscal dove who favours keeping the Fed's stimulus programme in place for as long as needed.
On Wall Street the Dow rose 0.69 percent to close at 16,009.99 -- the index has now surged more than 20 percent since the start of the year. The S&P 500 jumped 0.81 percent and the Nasdaq added 1.22 percent.
The positive sentiment lifted the dollar against the yen, which is considered a safe haven in times of economic uncertainty.
The dollar bought 101.00 yen compared with 101.16 yen in New York. The gains come despite Fed minutes on Wednesday showing policymakers considering winding down its $85 billion a month bond-buying scheme.
The euro held up after enjoying a lift on Thursday in New York in response to Mario Draghi's move to temper talk of a rate cut that had been swirling markets on Wednesday.
The ECB head said the bank was not planning to take one of its key rates -- the deposit rate -- to negative territory from zero percent.
"Let me be clear... don't try to infer from what I say today anything on the possibility of negative rate on the deposit facility," he told a meeting of business leaders in Berlin.
"As I said in the last press conference, it was discussed in the last meeting and there are no news since then. No more news."
The single currency fetched $1.3496 in Tokyo afternoon trade against $1.3478 in New York, while it also sat at 136.28 yen from 136.34 yen.
In oil trade, New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for January delivery, fell 27 cents to $95.17, while Brent North Sea crude for January dropped 24 cents to $109.84.
Gold fetched $1,242.80 per ounce at 1107 GMT compared with $1,247.52 on Thursday.
In other markets:
-- Taipei rose 0.21 percent, 17.33 points, to 8,116.78.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. fell 0.99 percent to Tw$100.0 while Acer rose 5.13 percent to Tw$16.4.
-- Manila fell 0.62 percent, or 38.05 points, to 6,084.84.
-- Wellington ended flat, edging down 0.36 points to 4,818.0.
Warehouse fell 4.66 percent to NZ$3,68 on a profit warning while Air New Zealand was up 4.23 percent at NZ$1.60.
-- Kuala Lumpur ended flat, edging down 0.13 points to 1,794.52.
MISC gained 1.3 percent to 5.48 ringgit while YTL Corp rose 0.6 percent to 1.63.
-- Jakarta was down 0.19 percent, or 8.25 points, at 4,317.96.
Palm oil company Astra Agro Lestari gained 1.32 percent to 22,950 rupiah, while Bank Permata lost 2.88 percent to 1,350 rupiah.
-- Singapore ended flat, adding just have a point to 3,172.85.
SingTel was 0.54 percent lower at 3.710 while Keppel Corp was 0.45 percent higher 11.16.
-- Bangkok fell 1.22 percent, or 16.79 points, to 1,359.07.
Siam Cement lost 4.09 percent to 399.00 baht, while Airports of Thailand dropped 3.27 percent to 192.00 baht.
-- Mumbai ended flat, edging down 11.66 points to 20,217.39.
Private bank Yes Bank lost 2.75 percent to 344.55 rupees while top vehicle maker Tata Motors was down 2.43 percent to 373.25 rupees.
