SINGAPORE – Asia-Pacific shares traded on Tuesday morning, as investors await comments from President-elect Joe Biden for Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.96% more, while the Topix index rose 0.46%. Kospi in South Korea rose 0.11%.
Shares in Australia also gained, with the S & P / ASX 200 up about 1%.
The largest MSCI index of Asia-Pacific equities outside Japan was traded 0.13% higher.
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Yellen is due to tell the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that the government must “act largely” with its next Covid aid package, according to Reuters, which quoted an opening statement ready for its hearing before the commission. .
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that it expects Yellen to clarify that the US is not looking for a weaker dollar.
On the coronavirus front, the head of the World Health Organization warned on Monday of a “catastrophic moral failure” due to unfair vaccine launches.
State markets were closed on Monday for a holiday.
currencies
The US dollar index, which tracks the green dollar against a basket of its colleagues, was at 90,765 – levels higher than the levels below 90.4 observed last week.
The Japanese yen was at 103.68 per dollar, still stronger than the levels above 104.1 against the green dollar seen in the previous trading week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $ 0.769, out of levels above $ 0.775 seen at the end of last week.
– This article has been updated to accurately reflect the movements of the S & P / ASX 200 in Australia.