Asia-Pacific stocks advance tracking global peers, Japan’s Nikkei hits fresh 34-year high

News Snapshot:

Japan (NKY:IND) +0.86%. Japan data - December Tertiary Industry Activity Index +0.7% m/m (exp. +0.2%, prior -1.4%). The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 0.86% to close at 38,487 on Friday, hitting its highest levels in 34 years and closing in on its all-time record highs reached during Japan’s economic bubble in the late 1980s. China (SHCOMP) markets closed. Markets in key trade partner China are closed this week for the Spring Festival. Hong Kong (HSI) +2.43%. India (SENSEX) +0.52%. Australia (AS51) +0.69%. In the U.S. on Thursday, all three major indexes ended higher as traders assessed another slew of corporate results...