Asian Stocks Advance for Sixth Week in Seven as Earnings Climb

Asian stocks rose for the sixth time since mid-December as higher corporate earnings countered Standard & Poor’s cut of Japan’s credit rating and concern that Chinese policy makers will tighten monetary policy.

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s second-biggest maker of mobile phones, advanced to a record high in Seoul and Keppel Corp., an oil-rig builder, gained 5.8 percent in Singapore after they reported earnings that exceeded analyst estimates. Honda Motor Co., Japan’s No. 3 carmaker by sales, climbed 7.6 percent after Nomura Holdings Inc. boosted its investment rating. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., the nation’s largest publicly traded bank, dropped 2 percent in Tokyo.