China shares rebound on economy stimulus hopes as other Asian markets lackluster

Chinese shares rebounded on stimulus hopes a day after gloomy first-quarter economic numbers while other Asian benchmarks were mixed.

KEEPING SCORE: The Shanghai composite index jumped 2.1 percent to 4,168.85 a day after it lost as much as 1.2 percent following the release of the economic data. Other Asian indexes were subdued, with Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index dipping 0.1 percent to 19,853.35 while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.4 percent to 2,128.46. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.2 percent to 27,683.39 while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.5 percent to 5,938.90. Southeast Asian indexes were mixed.

CHINA BOUNCE: The country's main stock market rebounded from losses the day before, when the world's second-biggest economy posted its worst quarterly growth in six years. The 7 percent expansion in the January-March period was the weakest since the global financial crisis. Beijing has cut interest rates twice and rolled out targeted stimulus measures following signs that the downturn has been sharper than expected and investors are likely expecting more such boosting measures to come.

MARKET VIEW: "Having seen two cuts to benchmark and market interest rates already in the past six months, as well as tweaks to the reserve requirement ratios and changes to policy around investment property, yesterday's numbers would normally suggest further stimulus as the tweaks have not been enough to stop the decline," Evan Lucas, market strategist at IG Markets in Melbourne, wrote in a commentary.

AUSTRALIAN JOBS: Investors welcomed news that the country's unemployment rate fell to 6.1 percent in March from 6.3 percent the month before. The result surprised economists, who had expected the number to hold steady, though it also clouded the outlook on whether Australia's central bank would cut interest rates again in May.

WALL STREET: U.S. benchmarks closed modestly higher on rising corporate profits and a jump in oil prices. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.5 percent to close at 2,106.63 and the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.4 percent to 18,112.61. The Nasdaq composite added 0.7 percent to 5,011.02.

ENERGY: U.S. benchmark crude eased oil slipped 1 cent to $56.38 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $3.10 to settle at $56.39, hitting its highest price this year, on Wednesday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 22 cents to $63.10 in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar strengthened to 119.39 yen from 119.15 in late trading Wednesday. The euro rose to $1.0681 from $1.0677.