Nov. 11, 2009 (Baystreet.ca) --

Asian stocks and the currencies rose as Japan's machinery orders surged, China's industrial production accelerated and South Korea's unemployment fell.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index added 0.95 points, to 9,871.68.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index leaped 359.05 points, or 1.6%, to 22,268.16.

HSBC Holdings Plc led the advance in Hong Kong after saying third-quarter profit was "surprisingly ahead" of its projections. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp., Japan's former telephone monopoly, rose after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. recommended buying the shares.

Orders for Japanese machinery, an indicator of business investment intentions, climbed 10.5% in September, while economists had forecast a 4.1% increase. Omron Corp., a maker of factory automation systems, advanced 1.4%.

South Korea's unemployment rate fell to the lowest level in nine months as transport and telecommunications companies and banks hired more workers, a further sign the nation's economy is recovering. The won approached a 13-month high.

Japan and China's economic data also drove Asian currencies higher, raising optimism the region's growth will spur demand for higher-yielding assets. The dollar traded near a 15-month low against the currencies of six major U.S. trading counterparts.

The Japanese yen strengthened for a second day against the dollar as the nation's machine orders added to evidence the economic recovery is gathering momentum.

Daikin Industries Ltd., the world's number-two air conditioner maker, jumped 2.5% after lifting its annual profit forecast due to an improved outlook for sales in China.

HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, rallied 5.6%, after it said third-quarter pretax profit was "significantly" higher than a year earlier.

NTT rallied 4.5% after the stock was added to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s "conviction buy" list as the company is likely to buy back shares from the government amid improving profitability.

Yakult Honsha Co., a health drink maker, surged 5.8% after Nomura Holdings Inc. boosted the shares to "neutral" from "reduce," citing growth in the Chinese market. CHINA

The Shanghai 300 Composite Index ended its long winning streak, falling 8.10 points to 3,495.67.

China's Shanghai Composite retreated for the first time in nine days as a slowdown in the nation's lending growth sent banks and developers lower. New loans declined to 253 billion yuan ($37 billion U.S.) last month from 516.7 billion yuan in September, the People's Bank of China reported today, less than 370 billion yuan predicted by economists in a Bloomberg News survey.

The Shanghai gauge increased after the China's industrial production rose 16.1% from a year earlier in October, the most since March 2008. Retail sales gained an annual 16.2% last month.

Elsewhere:

Taiwan's Taiex index picked up 74.57 points, or 1%, to 7,668.06

Singapore's Straits Times index was up 32.83 points, or 1.2%, to 2,740.43

Korea's Kospi index gained 12.52 points, to 0.8%, to 1,594.82

New Zealand's NZX Index finished 5.87 points, or 0.2%, lower to 3,161.54

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 23.40 points, or 0.5%, to 4,757.00