<p>Asian stocks opened higher on Friday, with Japan hitting a three-decade high as investors looked beyond rising coronavirus cases and political unrest in the United States and bet on an economic recovery later in the year.</p>.<p>Futures for the S&P 500 jumped 1.48% and Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.84%, hitting its highest level since August 1990.</p>.<p>The broadly upbeat mood came after Wall Street hit record highs on Thursday while bond prices fell as markets bet a new Democrat-controlled government would lead to heavy spending and borrowing to support the US economic recovery.</p>.<p>"We're sure to see a synchronised global recovery in the second half of this year," said ING analyst Carsten Brzeski.</p>.<p>"Right now, there's lots of concern about the virus and noise surrounding the vaccine. But we need to take a slightly longer view."</p>.<p>Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained a more moderate 0.16% after that nation's Queensland state enforced a three-day lockdown in its capital following the discovery of a case of the more contagious UK variant of Covid-19.</p>.<p>Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures lost 0.02% after reports that the Trump administration was considering banning U.S. entities from investing in an expanded list of Chinese companies in the waning days of the presidency.</p>.<p>U.S. government officials have begun weighing removing President Donald Trump from office before President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration date of Jan. 20 after he incited a violent riot against at the U.S. Capitol building.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.69%, the S&P 500 gained 1.48% and the Nasdaq Composite added 2.56%. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.18%.</p>.<p>Benchmark yields hit their highest level in 10 months as U.S Treasuries continued to sell-off. Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 12/32 in price to yield 1.0812%. The 30-year bond last fell 27/32 in price to yield 1.859%.</p>.<p>The dollar also strengthened on hopes of a meaningful economic recovery later this year.</p>.<p>The dollar index rose 0.53% against a basket of currencies to 89.785 with the euro down 0.43% to $1.2272. Bitcoin topped $40,000 for the first time on Thursday, as the digital currency continued to be in high demand from institutional and retail investors alike. Bitcoin was last up 6.1% at $39,100 but market watchers say a pullback is likely.</p>.<p>Strength in the dollar weighed on gold prices.</p>.<p>Spot gold fell 0.3% to $1,913.87 per ounce but U.S. gold futures inched 0.3% higher to settle at $1,913.60.</p>.<p>Oil traders continued to focus on Saudi Arabia's pledge to deepen production cuts.</p>.<p>Brent crude settled up 8 cents to $54.38 a barrel after touching $54.90, a high not seen since before the first Covid-19 lockdowns in the West. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled up 20 cents to $50.83, after hitting a session high at $51.28.</p>
<p>Asian stocks opened higher on Friday, with Japan hitting a three-decade high as investors looked beyond rising coronavirus cases and political unrest in the United States and bet on an economic recovery later in the year.</p>.<p>Futures for the S&P 500 jumped 1.48% and Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.84%, hitting its highest level since August 1990.</p>.<p>The broadly upbeat mood came after Wall Street hit record highs on Thursday while bond prices fell as markets bet a new Democrat-controlled government would lead to heavy spending and borrowing to support the US economic recovery.</p>.<p>"We're sure to see a synchronised global recovery in the second half of this year," said ING analyst Carsten Brzeski.</p>.<p>"Right now, there's lots of concern about the virus and noise surrounding the vaccine. But we need to take a slightly longer view."</p>.<p>Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained a more moderate 0.16% after that nation's Queensland state enforced a three-day lockdown in its capital following the discovery of a case of the more contagious UK variant of Covid-19.</p>.<p>Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures lost 0.02% after reports that the Trump administration was considering banning U.S. entities from investing in an expanded list of Chinese companies in the waning days of the presidency.</p>.<p>U.S. government officials have begun weighing removing President Donald Trump from office before President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration date of Jan. 20 after he incited a violent riot against at the U.S. Capitol building.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.69%, the S&P 500 gained 1.48% and the Nasdaq Composite added 2.56%. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.18%.</p>.<p>Benchmark yields hit their highest level in 10 months as U.S Treasuries continued to sell-off. Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 12/32 in price to yield 1.0812%. The 30-year bond last fell 27/32 in price to yield 1.859%.</p>.<p>The dollar also strengthened on hopes of a meaningful economic recovery later this year.</p>.<p>The dollar index rose 0.53% against a basket of currencies to 89.785 with the euro down 0.43% to $1.2272. Bitcoin topped $40,000 for the first time on Thursday, as the digital currency continued to be in high demand from institutional and retail investors alike. Bitcoin was last up 6.1% at $39,100 but market watchers say a pullback is likely.</p>.<p>Strength in the dollar weighed on gold prices.</p>.<p>Spot gold fell 0.3% to $1,913.87 per ounce but U.S. gold futures inched 0.3% higher to settle at $1,913.60.</p>.<p>Oil traders continued to focus on Saudi Arabia's pledge to deepen production cuts.</p>.<p>Brent crude settled up 8 cents to $54.38 a barrel after touching $54.90, a high not seen since before the first Covid-19 lockdowns in the West. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled up 20 cents to $50.83, after hitting a session high at $51.28.</p>