Asian shares extend gains ahead of tech earnings

Asian shares extended gains on Tuesday, taking sequence from Wall Street as focus shifts to earnings results from U.S. tech giants in the week, while a still strong dollar mounted pressure on the Japanese yen to fresh 34-year lows.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.5%, helped by a 1% jump in Taiwanese shares and a 0.8% advance in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index.

The Asian index rose 1% the day before on easing fears of a major escalation in the Middle East conflict, recovering some of the 3.7% losses last week. Japan’s Nikkei edged up 0.1%.

Tech shares in the region cheered. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd rallied 1.5% while MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan IT index jumped 0.8%.