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Asian shares mostly up on US gains Japan's Nikkei on longest rally since 1988
(about 5 hours later)
Asian markets traded mostly higher, taking a positive lead from Wall Street after a rally lead shares to close at a record high. Japanese shares rose for the 10th consecutive session on Thursday, marking its longest rally for more than a quarter of a century.
The Nasdaq hit a fresh record, up 1.5% overnight, as US shares broadly reversed sharp losses from the previous session. Japan's Nikkei 225 index closed up 0.4% at 20,551.46, and has now chalked up its longest winning streak since a 13-day run in February 1988.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index was 0.8% to 20,627.42 - higher for the ninth consecutive day.
Investor confidence was boosted by retail sales data rebounding in April.Investor confidence was boosted by retail sales data rebounding in April.
Retail sales in April rose 5% from a year earlier after falling for three consecutive months and dropping 9.7% in March. Figures showed that retail sales rose 5% from a year ago, reversing three months of falls.
Chinese shares fell with Hong Kong's Hang Seng down 0.5% to 27,936.01, while the Shanghai Composite was trading flat at 4,939.68. The Nikkei index has gained 5% during the 10-day run.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.3% to 5,706.6 despite iron ore prices rising for the fourth session to the highest level since early March. Shares of Honda were up 1.7% despite the automaker expanding its recall of cars in Japan over airbag inflators made by Takata to 340,000. Honda had already recalled millions of cars earlier this month.
Shares in miners Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were lower by 0.2% and 1% respectively. China leads losses
South Korean shares were up with the benchmark Kospi up 0.7% to 2,121.26. Chinese shares fell sharply after a number of brokerages tightened lending requirements on margin financing and investors prepared for another wave of initial public listings next week.
Analysts estimate that the new listings could freeze up about 5tn yuan ($807bn; £523bn) of liquidity.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 2% at 27,504.37, while the Shanghai Composite fell 3.8% to 4,757.6.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.2% lower at 5,713.10 after data showed that business investment in the first quarter of 2015 saw the biggest fall for more than six years.
Investment fell 4.4% in the quarter, compared with forecasts of a 2.4% drop.
South Korean shares recovered from heavy falls earlier in the session, with the benchmark Kospi index closing up 0.2% at 2,117.77.