CORRECTS - Asian markets close day in positive territory

CORRECTS HEADLINE

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) – Major stock markets in Asia closed Monday with gains as optimism on bilateral ties between Washington and Beijing continues.

While the debt crisis in the real estate sector in China remained, the US and Chinese officials' continued negotiations on trade supported the stock markets.

A statement by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Monday said that the meeting with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai was "constructive and sincere," and the details of the Phase 1 agreement were discussed during the talks.

On the other hand, 107 days of full shutdown in Sydney, Australia's largest city, ended today.

The Asia Dow, which includes blue-chip companies in the region, earned 61.13 points, or 1.59%, to close at 3,894 points.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock exchange also increased by 449.26 points, or 1.60%, to 28,498.

The Hang Seng, the benchmark for blue-chip stocks trading on the Hong Kong exchange, saw an increase of 487.24 points, or 1.96%, to 25,325.

China's Shanghai index went down 0.46 points, or 0.01%, to 3,591 points.

The Singapore index rose by 1.75 points, or 0.06%, to reach 3,114, while the Indian Sensex benchmark increased by 258.70 points, or 0.43%, to reach 60,317 points.