Asian markets close Tuesday in green

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - Stock markets in Asia closed on Tuesday with gains amid easing fears related to the omicron variant of coronavirus.

Though news reports on the variant continue to suppress asset prices, the positive outlook was preserved in the stock markets, where trading volumes have decreased due to investors combining the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

After lockdown measures were imposed in some cities in China, restrictions were also heightened in many other Asian countries.

In a major development, Beijing tightened regulations on domestic firms floating their shares abroad, prompting concerns on private financial risk levels.

This move was followed up, however, by the People's Bank of China releasing a statement that financial risks were generally at controllable levels.

On the macroeconomic side, industrial production in Japan increased by 7.2% monthly and 5.4% annually in November, exceeding expectations, while the unemployment rate rose to 2.8%.

The Asia Dow, which includes the region's blue-chip companies, jumped 28.38 points, or 0.76%, to close at around 3,784 points.

The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo gained 392,70 points, or 1.37%, to hit 29,069.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, climbed 56.8 points, or 0.24%, to 23,280.

China's Shanghai stock exchange rose 14.14 points, or 0.39%, to 3,630, while the Indian Sensex benchmark gained 477.24 points, or 0.83%, to close at 57,897 points.

The Singapore index also increased 24.17 points, or 0.78%, to 3,128.