ASIA STOCKS started the week higher

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its fourth straight daily gain, as consumer shares led advances.

Japan’s Topix index added 1.4% as the yen held last week’s losses versus the dollar. Data showed Japanese industrial production unexpectedly fell 2.3% in February from January. A three percentage-point sales-tax increase takes effect in the country tomorrow.

South Korea’s Kospi index climbed 0.2%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.5% and New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index slid 0.1%. 

Taiwan’s Taiex index increased 0.9% and Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.6%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index increased 0.2% and the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.5%.

Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp. jumped 7% in Seoul, Samsung SDI Co. jumped 6.6% after it agreed to buy Cheil Industries Inc.

Mazda Motor Corp. gained 4.3%.

Eclat Textile Co. gained 7% after Deutsche Bank AG recommended the stock.

Among stocks that fell, Cnooc Ltd., China’s biggest offshore oil and natural gas explorer, dropped 6.3%. Its net income fell 11% to 56.5 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) last year from 63.7 billion yuan in 2012, the company said in a statement. The share’s target price was cut to HK$14.5 from HK$15.5 at BNP Paribas SA.

Intime Retail Group Co. declined 3.5% after surging as much as 17% as it said it will receive about $692 million in an investment from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

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