Shares cautious on Ukraine anxiety; China, India lead gains
(Reuters) - Shares made a cautious advance on Monday though gains were capped as investors braced for a possible escalation in Ukraine's civil conflicts after anti-Kiev rebels declared victory in a referendum on self-rule.
Hopes of capital market reform boosted Chinese shares while Indian shares surged to record high on the prospect of a more business-friendly government winning India's general election, with exit polls later coming out later in the day.
These expectations helped to lift MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan 0.6 percent.
Hong Kong shares rose 2.2 percent while India's benchmark index rose as much as 1.8 percent and the Indian rupee also hit nine-month high.
European shares are also expected to rise, with Germany's DAX seen gaining as much as 0.4 percent and Britain's FTSE up to 0.2 percent.