Asian shares up after Wall Street rally

Asian markets rose on Tuesday following a Wall Street rally as traders shrugged off growing tensions between the West and Russia after Crimea’s vote opting for Kremlin rule. After the weekend vote, attention moved to economic matters, with better-than-expected US data providing support as investors await the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting. Tokyo climbed 1.08 percent by the break thanks to a dip in the value of the yen, while Hong Kong gained 0.15 percent, Sydney added 0.61 percent and Seoul put on 0.34 percent. Shanghai was up 0.25 percent. The United States and European Union on Monday slapped Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle with economic sanctions a day after Crimeans voted overwhelmingly to come into Moscow’s fold, according to AFP.