Asian shares up on US data

HONG KONG: Asian shares rose Tuesday, following a lead from Wall Street after more upbeat US data, although a meeting between France and Germany on ramping up plans to save the euro received a tepid response.

Tokyo gained 0.45 percent, Hong Kong was 0.30 percent higher, Sydney added 0.99 percent, Seoul jumped 1.60 percent and Shanghai gained 0.66 percent.

In the United States data showed a 9.9 percent surge in consumer credit in November, the biggest increase in a decade.

Credit card spending was up 8.5 percent, while non-revolving loans, including university and automobile loans, jumped 107 percent.

It added to the growing sense that a recovery in the world's biggest economy is showing signs of strength, coming days after a fall in the unemployment rate and a bigger-than-forecast rise in job creation.

The Dow finished 0.26 percent higher, the Nasdaq added 0.09 percent and the S&P 500 rose 0.23 percent.

However, there were warnings that the recent string of good numbers might not mean the recovery in gathering pace.