In Asia today, the Nikkei closed up 245.88 points at 16,361.51, while the Hang Seng Index ended the morning up 42.01 points at 15,487.06.
Oil prices continued to ease in Asian trading hours, hovering below the $60 mark. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April, was down 8 cents at $59.88 a barrel from its close of $59.96 in the US on Friday.