In Asia today, the Hang Seng ended the morning up 199.25 points at 20,305.67, while the Nikkei closed up 136.08 points at 17,519.50.
New York Mercantile Exchange's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March, was down 30 cents at $57.84 a barrel from $58.14 dollars in late trading in the US overnight.
MITCHELLS & BUTLERS, MARSTONS, GREENE KING UPPED TO 'BUY' AT ABN AMRO
JD WETHERSPOON UPPED TO 'HOLD' VS 'SELL' AT ABN AMRO
VODAFONE DOWNGRADED TO 'HOLD' VS 'BUY' AT DEUTSCHE BANK
WOLSELEY CUT TO 'EQUAL-WEIGHT' VS 'OVERWEIGHT' AT MORGAN STANLEY