Asian stock markets closed mostly higher Thursday.

Tokyo's Nikkei index gained nearly one and one-quarter percent to finish at 9,061.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index earned one-quarter of one percent to finish the day's trading at 20,585.

Share prices were also higher in Manila, Sydney, Taipei and Wellington, but lower in Shanghai.

In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 76.90 yen, a gain of nearly one-quarter of a yen from Wednesday.