Asian shares higher in thin holiday trading

BANGKOK — Shares rose Monday in Asia in thin post-Christmas holiday trading, with markets in Hong Kong, Sydney and several other places closed.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.5% to 26,367.40 and the Kospi in Seoul added 0.2% to 2,317.48. The Shanghai Composite index surged 0.7% to 3,067.54 and the SET in Bangkok added 0.3%.

Traders were awaiting a speech by the governor of Japan‘s central bank Monday for hints into whether the Bank of Japan might further adjust its longstanding ultra-lax monetary policy to cope with pressures from inflation.

Last week, markets were jolted by a slight adjustment in the target range for the yield of long-term Japanese government bonds, viewing it as a sign the Bank of Japan might finally unwind its massive support for the economy through ultra-low interest rates and purchases of bonds and other assets.

A widening gap between interest rates in Japan…