Asia markets up on Japan tax delay

HONG KONG: Asian markets rallied Monday following last week’s sharp losses, with Tokyo boosted by a report that Japan’s prime minister plans to delay a planned sales tax increase.

Investors in Tokyo cheered a report Saturday in the respected Nikkei business daily that Shinzo Abe had told officials he wants to put off the consumption tax rise to avoid damaging the already tottering economy. It is not known how long he intends to postpone