The Australian dollar perked up from near one-week lows after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised rates for the eighth time in as many months.
This will be aided by increasing preference for personal mobility, higher economic activity, easing supply-side constraints, shift in product mix towards higher priced vehicles, and price hikes of 5-7 per cent, Crisil Ratings said in its report.
Nikkei climbs for fourth straight day on a weaker yen and finished above 14,000 on Tuesday as blue chip exporters gained on a weaker yen. US manufacturing data too lifted investor sentiment.
Bonds ended slightly higher on Wednesday, giving up most of their intraday gains that saw the 10-year yields drop to their lowest since December 2009, as profit-taking offset growing expectations for a rate cut.
Given the way markets have moved in the month of April, says Amit Trivedi, co-founder, Investworks.in, May could see markets moving higher. He says his target for Nifty is at around the 6,000 levels.
Spain acknowledged that its economy would shrink more than initially expected in 2013 and its budget deficit would be higher than promised, but the European Union gave it more time to bring the shortfall back down to bloc limits.
The rupee is higher in early trades at 54.45 compared with its previous close of 54.58/59, tracking positive regional currencies
US stocks edged higher on Thursday, with the S&P 500 rising just above its record closing high, which has acted as a significant resistance point in recent weeks.
The Dow closed modestly higher at another record on Wednesday as investors bet that favorable market conditions would continue, though the gains were slight on concerns the rally may run out of steam in the short term.