Asian markets rise on Greece confidence

HONG KONG: Asian markets rose on Tuesday with traders expecting the final go-ahead for Greece's second bailout soon, while they also had their eyes on key central bank meetings in Japan and the United States.

Tokyo added 0.93 percent by the break, Hong Kong gained 1.30 percent, Sydney rose 1.30 percent, Shanghai was up 0.14 percent and Seoul was 1.20 percent higher.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble lifted spirits when he said on Monday that the remainder of a multi-billion-euro package of loans from eurozone governments under a second Greek bailout will be signed off this week.

"There's no more doubt," he told reporters in Brussels. "The second aid programme will be signed this week."

Schaeuble's comments came after Greece late last week secured a debt write-down from its private investors, which slashed more than 100 billion euros from its huge debt mountain.

Investors were also looking ahead to a Federal Open Market Committee meeting later in the global day following a string of upbeat data that indicates the recovery in the US economy is gaining traction. (AFP)