Asian Stocks Finish With Gains

Updated from 12:02 a.m. EST

Asian stocks closed with gains Monday as Japanese shares rose to a two-month high on optimism over a stimulus plan being pushed in the U.S. by President-elect Barack Obama.

In a shortened half-day session, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average rose 2.1% to 9043.12, its first finish above 9000 since Nov. 10. The Nikkei average fell 42% in 2008, its steepest one-year drop ever.

Obama said over the weekend that Congress should pass a stimulus plan designed to create 3 million jobs, a measure that could cost as much as $775 billion. Obama advisers told the New York Times on Sunday that tax cuts for workers and businesses could total $300 billion. ...