06:46 AM EDT, 06/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets largely gained Tuesday, as tech issues globally regained investor favor and after equity markets in Europe and the US showed strength.

Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the green, although Hong Kong edged lower, undercut by China's struggling property sector. Other regional exchanges logged higher at closing bells.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher on overnight fresh Wall Street records and finished up 1%, as traders bought back into tech issues softened up in recent bear moves.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 379.67 to 38,482.11 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 165 to 59.

Leading the upside was internet-services outfit LY, up 7.8%, while online consumer-to-consumer marketplace Mercari lost 3.2%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower, wobbled and finished off 0.1%, pulled down by sagging real estate issues.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 20.57 to 17,915.55, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 44 to 34. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 0.3% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.9%.

Leading the upside was aluminum-smelter China Hongqiao, gaining 4.4%, while Wuxi AppTec fell 3.3%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.5% to 3,030.25.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 0.7%; the Taiwan TWSE added 1.2%; the Australian ASX 200 was up 1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index gained 0.1%, and the Thai Set added 0.1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.4%.

In economic news, the Reserve Bank of Australia kept its key policy rate unchanged at 4.35%, holding firm for the fifth-straight policy meeting. The central bank noted "persistent" inflation in Australia.