The knife-edge US presidential race has tilted toward Joe Biden, with Democrat wins in Michigan and Wisconsin bringing him close to a majority.
"This certainly seemed to be the thinking in Asia overnight as Japanese and Chinese equities staged substantial rallies." Dealers were also keeping tabs on coronavirus developments with England going into lockdown for a second time, joining France and other key European economies, though observers said they had largely been priced into markets now.The Bank of England on Thursday unveiled an extra £150 billion in cash stimulus as it forecast a deeper recession than previously thought for the coronavirus-wracked UK economy.