STOCKS | Asian Shares Rise As Waller Cools Rate Hike Fears

Asian shares rose on Friday as investors awaited crucial US jobs data, while bonds recovered after a top Federal Reserve official eased rate hike fears and the dollar fell, according to RTHK. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened 302 points, or 1.2%, higher at 25,515 and later gained 511 points in early trading. The tech index opened 65 points, or 1.46%, higher at 4,533, while the China Enterprises Index rose 96 points, or 1.15%, to 8,481. The Shanghai Composite Index added 13 points, or 0.34%, to 3,955, the Shenzhen Component Index rose 100 points, or 0.74%, to 13,725, and the ChiNext gained 32 points, or 0.97%, to 3,344. In Tokyo, the Nikkei opened 284 points, or 0.44%, higher at 64,498 and was up 415 points at one stage before lunch. In Seoul, the Kospi was 62 points higher before noon after opening up almost 75 points, or 1.14%, at 6,654, led by gains in heavyweight chipmakers. The dollar's retreat lifted the yen, which has gained 2.6% this week to trade at 155.7 a dollar, close to the 155.2 level reached after joint intervention by Tokyo and Washington in late July. Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said recent data suggested signs of disinflation and that he would favour holding rates steady at this month's policy meeting if upcoming reports reinforced that trend.