HONG KONG (AFP) – Asian stock markets rose on Monday as investors took their cue from surveys out of the United States and Japan that show growing optimism about the state of the global economy.

The strong sentiment also helped the euro to recover further ground as dealers became less risk averse.

Tokyo’s Nikkei rose 1.80 percent to end at 174.60 points, to 9,879.85, while Hong Kong lifted 0.90 percent to end at 20,051.91.

The gains extended a strong finish to trading last week.

Sydney and Shanghai were closed for public holidays.

In Japan a joint survey by the cabinet office and finance ministry found confidence in the outlook of large companies rebounded in the April-June period compared to the previous three months.

The poll, which measures the difference in percentage of firms that expect the economy to improve against those that expect it to worsen, was 4.0 in April-June compared with minus 2.4 in the January-March period.

The index was 10.1 for July-September and 9.3 for the following quarter.

The data followed a private survey last week showing a stronger-than-expected rise in US consumer sentiment in June.

The University of Michigan’s index rose to 75.5 in June from 73.6 in May, its highest since January 2008 and a percentage point better than expectations.

The figures helped the Dow post a rise of 0.38 percent, which followed a strong showing on Thursday.

“The mood is not bad,” an analyst in Seoul told Dow Jones Newswires. “The improved US consumer sentiment will likely help ease some worries over a potential slowing in economic momentum that had rattled (investor) sentiment throughout May.”

Despite the upbeat survey the US news was tempered by figures showing retail sales, a key part of the economy, fell for the first time in eight months in May, losing 1.2 percent. Most economists had expected a 0.2 percent rise.

However, traders were more interested in the positives, which helped the euro to strengthen.

The single currency was at 1.2218 dollars, compared with 1.2112 in late New York trade Friday, and at 112.44 against the yen, from 111.00. The euro is well off multi-year lows seen earlier this month as the European debt crisis weighed on sentiment. The dollar was at 92.03 yen from 91.65.

The won was up sharply against the greenback — with the dollar at 1,224.40, from 1,246.1 Friday — helped by a strong stocks performance. Seoul’s Kospi ended 0.91 percent, or 15.26 points, up at 1,690.60.

But traders said the announcement Sunday of measures to ease the impact of capital flows and prevent the won fluctuating had little impact on the markets as they had been well flagged.

The measures, including new rules to limit local and foreign banks’ forex forward positions, are the latest in Seoul’s efforts to regulate foreign capital flows and prevent the won fluctuating.

The mood was still up from the end of last week when data out of Japan showed the economy was growing quicker than first thought, China showed strong export growth and Australian unemployment fell.

Oil was up, with New York’s main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in July, gaining 98 cents to 74.76 dollars a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for July delivery advanced 83 cents to 75.18 dollars.

Gold closed at 1,231.50-1,232.50 US dollars an ounce in Hong Kong on Monday, up from Friday’s close of 1,219.00-1,220.00 dollars.

In other markets:

– Singapore closed up 0.78 percent, or 21.78 points, at 2,818.07.

Singapore Airlines gained 0.67 percent to 14.82 Singapore dollars and Singapore Telecommunications advanced 0.66 percent to 2.99.

– Taipei rose 1.20 percent, or 87.91 points, at 7,387.40.

The market was helped by “significant progress” made during the third round of negotiations for a trade pact with China, dealers said.

Shinkong Textile was 7.0 percent up at 34.5 Taiwan dollars while Far Eastern New Century closed 2.99 percent higher at 34.5.

– Kuala Lumpur shares closed up 0.19 percent, or 2.49 points, at 1,297.16.

Healthcare company Phamarniga added 7.60 percent to 5.49 ringgit, chip maker Unisem was up 5.40 percent to 3.12 while Shell lost 1.50 percent to 10.44.

– Jakarta rose 0.89 percent, or 24.94 points, to 2,826.84.

Telkom jumped 1.9 percent to 8,000 rupiah, pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma rose 7.7 percent to 2,025 and nickel miner Inco rose 2.6 percent to 3,925.

– Wellington was flat, edging up 1.40 points to 3,042.67.

Telecom ended down 1.6 percent at 1.88 New Zealand dollars and Fisher & Paykel Appliances was up 1.8 percent at 56 cents.

– Bangkok rose 1.50 percent, or 11.58 points, to close at 781.13.

Coal producer Banpu added 8.00 baht to 612.00 and PTT Plc gained 2.00 baht to close at 246.00.

– Manila was closed for a public holiday.