Nikkei Hits Multiyear High

Asia's shares were generally stronger overnight, including a performance by Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 that put the index above 18,000 for the first time since 2000.

The Nikkei rose 196 points, or 1.1%, to finish at 18,109. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong advanced 0.8% to 20,809.

Elsewhere, South Korea's Kospi climbed nearly 1% to 1465. On the losing side, Singapore's Straits Times Index slipped 0.1% to 3289, and India's BSE Sensex gave up 1.2% to 14,021. ...