Emerging Asia's stocks and currencies rose on Monday as worries over the fallout from the new coronavirus variant Omicron receded, while investors kept tabs on more than a dozen global central bank meetings due this week.
Equities in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia rose between 0.2% and 0.7%, while their respective currencies, gained 0.1% to 0.3%.
Markets were counting on vaccines to curb Omicron's impact after reports showed symptoms caused by the strain may not be as bad as initially feared, with focus shifting to recent policy manoeuvres in China and upcoming central bank meetings.
The most important is the Federal Reserve's two-day review which wraps up on Wednesday, while in Asia, investors await Indonesia and the Philippine central banks' meetings on Thursday.
"Asia's economic adaptation to mobility restrictions has improved, and rising vaccination coverage provides a layer of defences," Citi analysts wrote in a note, adding that economic reopening will continue to fuel optimism.
Shanghai shares jumped 1% to a three-month high after an agenda-setting meeting of China's top leaders concluding late on Friday pledged proactive fiscal policy to ensure economic stability in 2022.
South Korea's won firmed 0.3% and stocks added 0.4% as foreign investors continued to flock to the country's markets. Separately, data on Monday showed the Asian trade bellwether's 10-day exports surged 20.4%.
Meanwhile, gains on the Kuala Lumpur index were slightly tempered by a 3.3% drop in Top Glove Corp, the world's biggest latex glove maker, after brokerages downgraded the stock.
Reopening stocks like leisure and beverage advanced on the Singapore bourse after the country's health ministry approved COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 years.
Among currencies, the rupiah firmed 0.1% to 14,350 per dollar. Bank Indonesia was expected to stand pat on interest rates as inflation remains benign, but a first hike could be seen in the third quarter of 2022, a Reuters poll found.
The baht, which is sensitive to coronavirus headlines since Thailand's economy is heavily dependant on tourism, rose 0.4% to a near three-week high.
Highlights
** Singapore-listed City Developments rose 1.3% on divesting a South Korean property for S$1.26 billion ($923.21 million)
** Indonesian 3-year benchmark yield was down 2.6 basis points at 4.468%
** Singapore's 5-year benchmark yield was up about 1.1 basis points at 1.371%
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