Asian stocks open higher on stimulus prospects

Asian stock indices opened the first session of the week higher on stimulus prospects after US President Joe Biden pledged to take emergency steps to launch the $1.9 trillion covid relief package. 

Biden also stated in a recent interview that he's ready for "extreme competition" with China within the global economy, but not in the way the Trump's administration did it.. preferring to follow international rules. 

Earlier Japanese data showed current account surplus at 2.28 trillion yen, down from 2.34 trillion in November.

Bank of Japan's bank lending index rose 6.1% in January, slowing down from 6.2% in December, while the current conditions survey fell to 31.2 from 35.5. 

Japan's TOPEX rose 1.72%, while Nikkei 225 climbed 2.08% to 29,378. 

China's CSI 300 rose 1.64%, while Shanghai added 1.28% to 3,541. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.06% to 29,599, while South Korea's KOSPI climbed 0.10% to 3,123. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 rose 0.48%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.83% to 6,897.