Asian stocks post cautious gains, Qantas surges

TOKYO (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly higher Thursday but gains were muted ahead of U.S. economic data and possible policy announcements from Japan.

KEEPING SCORE: The Nikkei 225, the benchmark for the Tokyo Stock Exchange, inched down 0.5 percent to 15,450.42. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.2 percent to 24,965.42. and South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3 percent to 2,080.43 Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5 percent to 5,626.30. Markets in India, Singapore and Indonesia rose.