** China's blue-chip CSI300 Index closed up 1.1%, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6%.
** Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index jumped 1.4%,
while the China Enterprises Index climbed 1.2%.
** The UBS-Credit Suisse deal has helped ease some banking
contagion fears, although the complete write-off of the troubled
bank's additional tier 1 bonds has caused sell-offs in similar
debt.
** Hong Kong's leader John Lee said he's confident the
Credit Suisse situation wouldn't affect the city in a
significant way, adding that the local banking sector was "very
resilient".
** Hong Kong-listed financial shares recouped some losses
from the previous session, with HSBC Holdings trading
2.5% higher.
** China stocks, largely immune from the U.S. and European
banking crisis due to strict capital controls and the country's
relatively sound banking system, are aided by fresh signs of
economic recovery.
** China's General Administration of Customs said on Monday
the utilisation rate of containers for exports has kept climbing
since the second half of February, pointing to a pickup in
exports.
** China's defence stocks jumped 2.2% amid
lingering geopolitical tensions.
** Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia was
denounced by Washington, while the United States, China and
Russia argued during a United Nations Security Council meeting
on Monday over North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons
programme.
** Tech stocks traded in Hong Kong rallied 2.5%,
with Bilibili Inc up as much as 9.2% to a four-week
high, after China's online gaming regulator on Monday granted
licences to 27 foreign games in March, signalling further policy
easing.
** Electric vehicle makers Xpeng Inc and Nio Inc soared 11.0% and 8.8%, respectively.
(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
