HONG KONG: Asian stock markets headed higher Thursday amid optimism about the U.S. economy, while oil prices climbed after OPEC kept production levels unchanged.

The region's major markets advanced 2 percent or more, with technology shares strong after American chip maker Texas Instruments upped its sales forecasts. The dollar extended its slump against the euro after hitting a fresh low for the year overnight.

Buoying sentiment was overnight gains on Wall Street after the U.S. Federal Reserve said the world's largest economy showed more signs of stabilization in recent months.

But while there were improvements in manufacturing and other areas in the broader economy, the central bank's reports suggested weakness in retail sales and the job market would hold down consumer spending. Some analysts said that was reason enough to stay cautious.

"The fundamentals are better but still not supportive for a strong recovery," said Peter Lai, investment manager at DBS Vickers in Hong Kong. "These types of figures aren't cause for celebration. Unemployment is rising and consumers are still hurting. The higher the market is the more fear I have."

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average added 201.53, or 2 percent, to 10,513.67.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 393.03, or 1.9 percent, to 21,246.52, Korea's Kospi was 2.3 percent at 1,644.68 and India's gained over 1 percent to 16,353.10.

Australia's markets climbed 1.1 percent and Taiwan's benchmark rose 1.1 percent.

Among major benchmarks, only mainland China's was lackluster, with the Shanghai's index down 0.6 percent.

Investors showed little reaction to regional economic news for the day.

Japan's core machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of corporate capital spending, fell in July after a rise in the previous month, suggesting a patchy recovery in the world's second-largest economy. South Korean and New Zealand central banks, issuing cautious views about their economic prospects, kept their interest rates unchanged as expected.

Overnight in the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average rose 49.88, or 0.5 percent, to 9,547.22. The index has added 267 points, or 2.9 percent, in four days. It was the Dow's second-highest close of the year, just below its Aug. 27 finish of nearly 9,581.

The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 7.98, or 0.8 percent, to 1,033.37, while the Nasdaq composite rose 22.62, or 1.1 percent, to 2,060.39.

Stock futures pointed to gains Thursday on Wall Street. Dow futures were up 46, or 0.5 percent, at 9,584 and S&P futures rose 5.3, or 0.5 percent, to 1,037.80.

In oil, benchmark crude for October delivery was up $1 at $72.31 in Asian trade as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to keep output levels steady.

The dollar rose to 92.06 yen from 91.95 yen late Wednesday, but weakened against the euro, which gained to $1.4575 from $1.4585.