“Asian stocks rose after Japan posted an unexpected trade surplus and as a survey that showedChina’s manufacturing may contract this month stoked speculation the government may introduce more measures to bolster growth.
First Tractor Co., a Chinese maker of farm equipment, jumped 7.6 percent in Hong Kong after the mainland’s central bank cut reserve requirements to more branches of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co. (005930), Asia’s No.1 consumer-electronics maker that counts China as its biggest market, gained 1.3 percent in Seoul. Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second-largest carmaker, added 1.7 percent in Tokyo.
“I don’t see a hard landing happening in China this year because of the policy offsets that can be put in place,” saidAndrew Pease, Sydney-based chief investment strategist for the Asia-Pacific region at Russell Investment Group, which manages about $150 billion. “China’s housing sector remains a key concern. The anecdotes coming out of the housing market suggest the weakness is quite pronounced.”
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