Energy firms lifted by oil rise, Sydney surges on rate cut

The euro edged down as investors keep tabs on a tour of Europe by Greece's new leaders aimed at ramping up support for a renegotiation of its massive bailout.

Crude enjoyed a boost after data showed the recent slump in prices has led to a decline in the number of rigs actively drilling.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for March delivery rose 60 cents to \\$50.17 while Brent crude for March rose 76 cents to \\$55.51.

The rises will come as welcome relief for markets after prices for the black gold slumped more than 50 percent from its June 2014 peak owing to a global glut and a strong dollar.

Energy firms were the main winners from the rises. Hong Kong-listed Sinopec added 1.81 percent and CNOOC gained 3.50 percent. In Sydney, Woodside closed 3.00 percent higher and Santos surged 2.63 percent. Inpex in Tokyo ended 6.89 percent higher.

"There's a sense of security expanding among investors" as oil climbs, Toshihiko Matsuno, chief strategist at SMBC Friend Securities Co. in Tokyo, told Bloomberg News.

"The rise in prices has helped doubts about the global economic slowdown recede, and eased worry over default risk and downgrade risks for both countries and companies."

- New China easing talk -

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Sydney surged 1.46 percent, or 82.03 points, to 5,707.37 -- its highest since May 2008 -- but Tokyo sank 1.27 percent, or 222.19 points, to close at 17,335.85 owing to a pick-up in the yen against the dollar.

Hong Kong added 0.29 percent, or 70.04 points, to 24,554.78 and Shanghai rallied 2.45 percent, or 76.61 points, to end at 3,204.91.

Shanghai's gains "could be on expectations of some policy easing" after weak manufacturing figures from China on Sunday and Monday, Audrey Goh, a Singapore-based investment strategist at Standard Chartered, told Bloomberg News. "I won't be surprised to see more easing measures," she said.

Seoul ended flat, dipping 0.72 points to 1,951.96.

Sydney rallied after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to 2.25 percent as it looks to kickstart the economy in the face of falling commodity prices and rising unemployment.

The news sent the Australian dollar tumbling to 76.59 US cents from around 80 cents before the announcement.

The crude rally also helped Wall Street, where investors ignored data indicating the US manufacturing sector slowed in January.

The Dow rallied 1.14 percent, the S&P 500 jumped 1.30 percent and the Nasdaq added 0.89 percent.

On forex markets the euro bought \\$1.1336 and 132.90 yen against \\$1.1343 and 133.43 yen.

Greece's new far-left government is looking for support from European governments and investors in its bid to renegotiate its 240-billion-euro bailout.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis hope to win support from Rome in talks Tuesday, following encouraging remarks from Prime Minister Matteo Renzi who said Europe must abandon austerity.

But there is strong opposition from Germany, while British finance minister George Osborne warned Monday: "It's clear that the standoff between Greece and the eurozone is fast becoming the biggest risk to the global economy."

The dollar was at 117.28 yen Tuesday, compared with 117.64 yen in New York Monday.

Gold fetched \\$1,283.87 an ounce, against \\$1,274.22 on Monday.

In other markets:

-- Taipei rose 0.66 percent, or 61.74 points, to 9,448.73.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. gained 1.4 percent to Tw\\$144.5 while smartphone maker HTC was 0.32 percent higher at Tw\\$158.5.

-- Wellington added 0.44 percent, or 25.26 points, to 5,781.95.

Spark gained 0.90 percent to end at NZ\\$3.37, Genesis Energy put on 2.00 percent to NZ\\$2.29 and Fletcher Building advanced 0.24 percent to NZ\\$8.47.

-- Manila closed 0.23 percent lower, giving up 17.56 points to 7,613.15.

Alliance Global Group fell 0.59 percent to 25.35 pesos but Security Bank Corp. rose 1.73 percent to 152.60 pesos.