Asian shares rise moderately

Tokyo: Asian shares rose moderately Monday amid cautious optimism about a global rebound from the corona virus pandemic.

Japan's benchmark closed less than 0.1 per cent higher at 29,685.37, in the first Tokyo market reaction to a weekend by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga with President Joe Biden over the weekend. Suga also spoke with the Pfizer chief executive, asking to ensure a more steady supply of the company's Covid-19 vaccine. Japan has lagged other wealthy nations, with barely one per cent of its population inoculated so far. The government measures against Covid-19 infections already in some urban areas, including Tokyo, are being expanded to other areas of Japan, starting Tuesday, but the cities of Tokyo and Osaka are considering strengthening them to a 'state of emergency.'

Japan has never had a lockdown, and its laws would need to be changed for such action. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 inched up less than 0.1 per cent to 7,065.60, while South Korea's Kospi also was little changed, at 3,198.84.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.5 per cent to 29,106.10. The Shanghai Composite gained 1.5 per cent to 3,477.74. Even though the possibility of faster delivery of vaccines was a plus, the summit between Biden and Suga has added to tension with China, noted Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief market economist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

"The Suga administration has taken a risk in China relations, in accordance to the US request," Maruyama said. Suga may have hoped Biden would more forcefully express support for the Tokyo Olympics, set to open in July despite widespread public objections and worries about the pandemic, but their joint statement merely said the US supports Japan's "efforts to hold a safe and secure" Games. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial average ended last week at new highs. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent to 4,185.47, led by gains in companies that rely directly on consumer spending, health care stocks and banks, which benefited from higher Treasury yields. The Dow gained 0.5 per cent to 34,200.67. The S&P and Dow also hit all-time highs on Thursday.

The technology-heavy Nasdaq inched up 0.1 per cent, to 14,052.34 after recovering from an early slide. The Russell 2,000 index of smaller companies added 0.2 per cent to 2,262.67. US stocks have rallied in recent weeks amid a string of encouraging reports on hiring, consumer confidence and spending that point to an accelerating US economy.

Covid-19 vaccinations, now reaching half of the US population, and massive support from the US government and Federal Reserve are fueling expectations for solid corporate profit growth as more businesses reopen. The last round of stimulus from the government helped lift retail sales, and investors now have to weigh other proposals in Washington, which include investments in infrastructure and potential tax changes.