Sydney — Asian shares hit historic highs on Monday after Wall Street extended its record-breaking run, while the US dollar retreat continued as investors priced in the risk of tighter policies elsewhere in the developed world. Activity was restrained somewhat as a US holiday curbed trade in cash Treasuries, though E-Mini futures for the S&P500 still made gains of 0.22%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.6%, having finally cleared the former record high of 591.50 from late 2007. Australia’s main index firmed 0.2%, while Japan’s Nikkei added 0.3%. Stocks in Hong Kong jumped 0.9% to another record. Investors were optimistic that Chinese GDP data for the December quarter due on Thursday would show growth of at least 6.7% for the world’s second biggest economy. Wall Street was on a roll as the fourth-quarter earnings season began, with solid results from banks and robust retail sales driving investor optimism about economic growth. The Dow amassed gains of...
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