Asian stocks jump; Australian dollar surges; Wall street rally lifts global mood
Asian markets rallied on Thursday, with the Australian dollar reaching an eight-month high as upbeat earnings and fresh trade deals lifted investor appetite for riskier assets.Japan’s Topix index touched a record high, tracking Wall Street’s overnight gains, after a new trade agreement between Japan and the US fueled hopes of more deals to avoid sweeping tariffs, Reuters reported.MSCI’s Asia-Pacific share index, excluding Japan, increased by 0.3%. Japan’s Topix continued its upward trajectory, gaining 1.4% to exceed its previous record from last year.The Australian dollar traded at $0.66, near its November 2024 peak of $0.6604.US signed trade deals with the Philippines and Indonesia, and a similar agreement with the European Union is…
