Asian market rallies

Shanghai and Hong Kong led a regional stocks rally on Monday as investors welcomed Beijing's green light for a new futures market as well as a short-selling experiment in China.
The markets were also given a lift by data released the day before that showed mainland exports surged 17.7 percent in December to snap a 13-month falling streak.
Shanghai closed up 0.52 percent, or 16.75 points, at 3,212.75 as securities firms and banks rallied on Beijing's approval Friday of a stock index futures market, and a trial for short selling and margin trading, dealers said.
Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index ended up 0.51 percent, or 114.77 points, at 22,411.52.
Seoul closed flat, down 1.14 points to 1,694.12 as auto and tech exporters lost ground on concerns over the strength of the Korean won.
Tokyo was closed Monday for a public holiday.
The Singapore Straits Timex Index closed up 0.37 percent, or 10.77 points, at 2,933.53.
Jakarta gained 0.68 percent, or 17.83 points, to end at 2,632.20.
Manila rose 0.33 percent, or 10.17 points, to 3,087.35.
Bangkok rose 1.08 percent, or 7.99 points, to close at 746.95.
Wellington fell 0.20 percent, or 6.48 points, to 3,303.75.
In Mumbai, the 30-share benchmark Sensex closed down 13.58 points or 0.08 percent at 17,526.71.
India's largest private sector firm Reliance Industries fell 1.85 percent or 20.4 rupees to 1,081.55 after the company said Monday it raised 756 million dollars in another share issue.