Bloomberg - Asian stocks rose, with the regional index headed for its longest stretch of weekly gains since September, as Japanese equities climbed amid a weaker yen. Emerging-market currencies from Malaysia to Thailand strengthened versus the dollar as oil climbed a second day.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.5 percent by 9:23 a.m. in Tokyo, set for the highest close since Jan. 22. Japan’s Topix Index jumped 0.9 percent in a fourth day of gains as the yen held near a five-week low. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) futures rose 0.1 percent. Malaysia’s ringgit, the Korean won and Thai baht climbed at least 0.1 percent.

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