Asian Stocks Advance, Set for First Annual Gain Since 2013
- Australian shares fall from the highest since July 2015
- Half of top 10 performers for 2016 were materials companies
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Asian equities climbed for a third straight session on the last trading day of the year as Japanese stocks trimmed losses as the yen weakened. A gauge of Australian shares retreated from the highest close since July 2015.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.2 percent at 3:02 p.m. in Hong Kong. The gauge has risen 2.3 percent in 2016, set for first annual gain since 2013. Half of the 10 best performers of the year in the region were materials companies, with Indonesia’s Adaro Energy rising 230 percent. U.S. stocks ended Thursday’s session little changed after data showed jobless claims declined.