Asia opens higher in tandem with Wall Street ahead of RBA meeting

Asian stock indices opened the second session of the week mixed but mostly higher, with Japan, China, New Zealand, and South Korea up, while Australia lost ground ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's meeting, expected to maintain rates at record 0.25% lows. 

Earlier New Zealand data showed an index tracking business confidence tumbling to minus 70 from minus 21, while household spending fell 0.3%. 

Earlier Japanese data showed household spending fell 0.3% in February, compared to a 3.9% decline in January, while average earnings rose 1%. 

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe announced a state of emergency in Tokyo and Osaka and five other cities for a month, with the government readying to launch a $990 billion stimulus package to bolster the economy. 

Japan's TOPEX rose 1.21% to 1,392, while Nikkei 225 surged 1.25% to 18,808. 

China's CSI powered up 2.13%, while Shanghai gained 1.83% to 2,814. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.71%, while South Korea's KOSPI rose 0.62% to 1,802. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 advanced 1.68%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.52% to 5,259.