ASIA MARKETS: Japan Stocks Add To Gains; China Rebounds

By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Asian markets rebounded Tuesday as a higher finish on Wall Street helped sentiment a day after most regional equities suffered a sell-off, with Japanese stocks extending gains on hopes for further monetary easing under a new central bank chief.

Mainland Chinese stocks advanced in choppy trading as the National People's Congress -- the country's parliament -- began its annual session, although property developers fell further under the lingering influence of fresh restrictions imposed on the sector late last week.

"Riding on the late-session rally in U.S. equities overnight, Asian markets so far have opened on a positive tone. However, continued uncertainty surrounding Italian politics and central bank monetary decisions means price gains would likely be capped," said strategists at Credit Agricole.

The Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.7% in Tokyo, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.5% and South Korea's Kospi gained 0.6%.

U.S. investors on Monday shrugged off the losses in Shanghai, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) to its second-highest level on record, with investors buying up defensive firms. Read: Stock gain lifts Dow average to second-highest level.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 0.4%, and the Shanghai Composite gained 0.7% a day after it slumped 3.7% for its worst loss since August 2011. The Shanghai benchmark had briefly dipped into the red earlier in the session.

The rebound came after outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao kicked off the annual session of the NPC by announcing an economic growth target of 7.5% for 2013, in line with expectations. Jiabao also unveiled other estimates that broadly fell within market expectations, including a targeted budget deficit of 1.2 trillion yuan ($192 billion) this year, up from last year's 800 billion yuan.

The rebound on mainland bourses was led by financial, resource and industrial stocks, with Jiangxi Copper Co. (JIXAY) rising 0.9% and Bank of Communications Co. (BCMXY) adding 0.8%.

But property stocks remained a weak spot, amid fears that the latest restrictions on the sector may undo a recent recovery in home prices. Gemdale Corp. lost 3% and Poly Real Estate Group Co. fell 2.7% in Shanghai, while China Vanke Co. dropped 1% in Shenzhen. All three stocks had plunged by the day's 10% limit on Monday.

In Hong Kong, local property developers rose to help offset a 0.6% drop in shares of HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) after the heavyweight lender on Monday reported 2012 results that fell short of expectations.

Japanese shares, which had on Monday defied broad regional declines, added to their gains on the back of a continued rally in real estate and financial sectors.

The rise in Tokyo came a day after the government's nominee for Bank of Japan Gov., Haruhiko Kuroda, made remarks favoring bolder monetary policies to meet the central bank's recently-adopted target of achieving a 2% inflation.

Kuroda is expected to succeed incumbent Masaaki Shirakawa, who will be stepping down on March 19.

Finance Minister Taro Aso said at a press conference Tuesday that he expects Kuroda to handle monetary policy in line with the joint pact signed by the BOJ earlier this year, aimed at spurring a sluggish economy.

Heavyweight stock Fast Retailing Co. (FRCOY) fronted the advance, jumping 5.9% after reporting a 9.6% increase in sales at its Uniqlo casual clothing chain in February.

Real-estate and banking shares climbed further amid an improved economic outlook, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (MTU) added 0.4% and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (MFG) gained 1%, while Japan Real Estate Investment Corp. (8952.TO) advanced 1.3%.

The retail sector climbed in Sydney after data showing industry sales rose 0.9% on an adjusted basis in January, beating economist expectations for a 0.4% gain.

Myer Holdings Ltd. gained 2.3%, while David Jones Ltd. advanced 3.1%.

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