Bloomberg - Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its first weekly advance this year. The South Korean won strengthened, oil dropped from a four-month high and gold held above $1,300 an ounce.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.4 percent as of 9:07 a.m. in Tokyo, and is on track for a 1.9 percent increase this week. The Topix index climbed 0.6 percent and Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures were little changed after the gauge closed at the highest since Jan. 22.

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