Japan, Korea lead Asian charge
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Toyota and other Japanese automakers closed higher Friday on a stronger dollar.
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(CNN) -- Japan and South Korea led Asian stocks to a powerful close Friday, each putting on more than 2 percent as the dollar surged to a three-month high.
Strong output figures for the two big North Asian economies underpinned investor confidence.
U.S.-focused exporters were the immediate beneficiaries, with Samsung Electronics 3.6 percent higher, Hyundai Motor and Mitsubishi Electric both up 3.3 percent and Nissan putting on 2.2 percent.
The dollar is trading at 109.42 late Friday in Asia, near a three-month high against the yen overnight at 109.84.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 average jumped 2.1 percent to close at 11,041.92, adding to Thursday's 1.47 percent gain and posting its first finish above 11,000 since January 23.
The broader Topix index rose 2.12 percent higher to 1082.47, lifted by the big gains for automakers, techs and banks.
Markets were also higher in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. But Singapore is flat near the close.
Among Japanese tech-related stocks there were solid gains of 2 percent-plus for Hitachi, Toshiba, NEC and Sanyo.
Sony rose 1.36 percent to 4460 yen and Canon put on 1.5 percent to 5330 yen.
Among automakers, Nissan finished at 1213 yen, Honda rose 1.9 percent to 4760 yen and Toyota gained 1.6 percent to 3770 yen.
In the banking sector, Mizuho and SMFG led the way with gains of 3 percent-plus. MTFG rose 2.7 percent and UFJ finished with a 2 percent lift to 490,000 yen.
Big retailer Ito-Yokado continued to gain, up 7.3 percent to 4120 yen on better consumer spending data.
As well, Japan's industrial output rose strongly in January, helped by robust demand for electronics goods, suggesting fast export-led growth in the final quarter of last year had maintained its momentum. (Full story)
In Seoul, the Kospi finished with a gain of 21.5 percent to 883.42, just below a 22-month high of 884 seen on February 17.
South Korea also reported strong industrial output data Friday. (Full story)
SK Telecom put on 4.4 percent to 238,000 won, but Shinhan Financial Group slipped 1.37 percent to 21,650 won.
Taiwan's Taiex finished 0.86 percent ahead to 6750.54.
Heavyweight chip foundry TSMC was steady at T$63.50, as was Formosa Plastic. China Steel jumped 4.6 percent to T$34.00.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX200 closed 0.41 percent higher at 3360.6, with gains of about half a percent each for Telstra and BHP Billiton.
Suncorp added 3.6 percent to A$13.58 after posting a record interim profit. (Full story)
Hong Kong's Hang Seng is 1.26 percent higher to 13,846.32, helped by good gains for Hutchison Whampoa and China Mobile.
Big bank HSBC is 0.4 percent ahead to HK$127.50, within sight of its lifetime high of HK$139.55 seen in March 2000.
Singapore's Straits Times is virtually flat at 1891 heading towards the close. DBS Bank is down but SingTel is about 1.7 percent ahead.
New Zealand's Top 50 closed 0.16 percent higher at 2440.48. Telecom NZ put on 1 percent to NZ$5.73.
The moves in Asia follow a mixed finish on Wall Street Thursday. The Nasdaq put on half a percent but the Dow eased 0.2 percent to 10,580.14. (Full story)
