Asian stocks rose to their highest in nearly three months on Thursday, led by energy and financial shares, and oil climbed on hopes the U.S. economic slowdown may be easing, Reuters reported. Major European stocks were expected to open higher, with stock futures up 0.9 percent, as investors globally waded back into riskier assets and trimmed safety trades. The U.S. dollar steadied against major currencies after tumbling overnight on comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that he was open to expanding the use of the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights, appearing to endorse an idea put forward by China. Regional bonds were hit by stock market gains, while U.S. Treasuries steadied after falling on Wednesday on concerns that a planned surge in government debt supply to fund stimulus plans would exceed demand. The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan gained for a fourth consecutive session and climbed 2.1 percent to the highest since Jan. 8. Japan's Nikkei average finished 1.8 percent higher, with large exporters such as Canon Inc and Sony Corp among the biggest boosts to the index. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 3.4 percent, propelled by a 13 percent gain in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China after Goldman Sachs said it would extend the lockup on most of its stake in the firm.
