Most Asian stocks climbed, erasing an earlier decline for the region’s benchmark index, amid speculation Greece will secure a second bailout when euro-area officials meet today. A government official today said Greece was confident euro area finance ministers will approve a second bailout for the country. The official, who declined to be named, said there would not be another meeting of political parties later today.
Nikkei 225 9,002.24 -13.35 -0.15%
Hang Seng 20,964.6 -53.86 -0.26%
S&P/ASX 200 4,282.87 -7.84 -0.18%
Shanghai Composite 2,349.59 +2.06 +0.09%
Lenovo climbed 4.3 percent to $HK6.52 after the company reported a 54 percent increase in third-quarter profit to $153 million as orders for office computers jumped and acquisitions in Germany and Japan boosted sales. That beat the $139.8 million average of nine analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Revenue rose 44 percent.
Japanese paper makers gained the most among the Topix Index’s 33 industry groups after Nippon Paper Group Inc. yesterday posted growing profit. Nippon Paper jumped 5.5 percent to 1,766 yen, Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd. surged 11 percent to 84 yen and Hokuetsu Kishu Paper Co. climbed 4.1 percent to 539 yen.
BHP, the world’s largest mining company lost 1.6 percent to A$37.16 in Sydney as workers at BHP’s coking coal mines in Australia said they will strike for seven days from Feb. 15 after rejecting the company’s latest offer.