Broad rise in Asian stock markets

Initial trading showed only gains. On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei 225 was up 1.8 percent while the broader Topix gained 0.7 percent.

South Korea's Kospi rose 1.7 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng showed a more cautious rise of 0.3 percent.

The mood in China was also upbeat. Shenzhen rose 1.4 percent and the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.6 percent.