Asian markets rose for a third consecutive day Wednesday thanks to growing optimism over a gradual post-pandemic recovery.
The Nikkei in Tokyo closed 1.2% higher, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index is trading 1.2% higher in late afternoon trading. Sydney’s S&P/ASX index and the TSEC in Taiwan are both up 1.7%, while the KOSPI in Seoul is 2.8% higher. The Shanghai Composite index is trending upward but is basically unchanged.
Oil markets are also on the upswing, with U.S. crude selling at $37.59 per barrel, up 2.1%, while Brent crude is selling at $40.19 per barrel, up 1.5%.
All three major U.S. indexes are trending upward in futures trading Wednesday, indicating another good day for investors on Wall Street.