A man uses a mobile phone in front of electronic screens displaying stock prices in the trading hall at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) in Karachi, Pakistan. (Photographer: Asim Hafeez/Bloomberg)
Indian shares advanced, led by gains in consumer goods companies such as Hindustan Unilever, Marico as investors cheered new goods and services tax rates announced by the government late Thursday.
The S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.64 percent to 30,627, while the NSE Nifty gained 0.55 percent at 9,482.
Among the sectoral indices, S&P BSE Consumer Durables jumped 0.8 percent while S&P BSE Metal climbed 1.1 percent.
The market breadth was skewed in the favour of gainers, with about 8 stocks advancing to every 2 stocks that declined.