Investing.com - Asian shares gained on Wednesday as investors saw recent declines as an opportunity to buy and sentiment held despite weak reviews on the economic outlook in Australia.
In China, share prices rose for a second day led by "growth stocks" - investors believe they are cheap enough after having more than halved in value since June.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was last up 1.81%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 2.95%. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.65%.
The September Westpac-MI Consumer Sentiment gauge fell 5.6% to 93.9, receding from a gain of 7.8% to 99.5 the previous month.
"The Reserve Bank board next meets on Oct. 6. We expect the board will maintain its steady rates policy for the remainder of this year and throughout 2016. The key to any decision to further cut rates, as expected by the financial markets, will be whether the bank's current forecast that the unemployment rate can stabilize around current levels proves sustainable," Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said.
As well, July housing finance rose 0.3%, well below thea gain of 0.8% expected month-on-month after a 4.4% jump the month before.
RBA Deputy Governor Philip Lowe provided some commentary on China at a CEDA event in Melbourne on Wednesday, noting Australia's single largest trading partner China presents a complicated picture and is difficult to assess its economic outlook.
The "recent focus on developments in China has, understandably, thrown the spotlight on the outlook for the Chinese economy," Lowe said in prepared remarks, adding the difficulty is that China is simultaneously adjusting to slower growth in potential output and dealing with a relatively soft phase of its own business cycle.
"The authorities' recent handling of the stock-market crash has led some to ponder the general direction of Chinese policy - including the likely pace of reform across the economy. This is an issue that will bear close watching over the months ahead," Lowe said.
In Japan, the Cabinet Office released the August Consumer Confidence Survey which rose to 41.7 from 40.3 in July, the first gain in two months.
Overnight, U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Technology and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2.42%, while the S&P 500 index gained 2.51%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 2.73%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were General Electric Company (NYSE:NYSE:GE), which rose 4.00% or 0.96 points to trade at 24.96 at the close.