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By Bloomberg

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its fourth advance in five days, after U.S. equities climbed to all-time highs as the world’s biggest economy grew at the fastest pace in 11 years.

Toyota Motor Corp., which gets 31 percent of its revenue in North America, advanced 1.6 percent in Tokyo. China Gas Holdings Ltd., which supplies to 237 cities in the mainland, climbed 5.6 percent in Hong Kong after South Korea’s SK Gas Ltd. said it’s selling shares to SK E&S Co. China’s biggest brokerages Citic Securities Co. and Haitong Securities Co. slid at least 1.8 percent amid speculation the government is taking measures to prevent an equities bubble.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.6 percent to 137.72 as of 2:01 p.m. in Hong Kong. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.2 percent yesterday to a record, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed above 18,000 for the first time. U.S. gross domestic product expanded at a 5 percent annual rate from July through September, surpassing the previous government estimate of 3.9 percent and the median forecast of 4.3 percent from 75 economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

“The market is taking some comfort from the power of the U.S. economy,” Michael McCarthy, a chief strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, said by phone, adding that stocks may keep gaining through year-end. “The calm from the Federal Reserve statement last week has been a major contributor to this rally, combined with the U.S. GDP data overnight.”

Fed Chair Janet Yellen said last week the central bank will likely hold key rates near zero at least through the first quarter.

The Topix index advanced 0.9 percent as Japanese markets resumed trading following yesterday’s holiday. The yen weakened against the greenback for a fifth day yesterday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be confirmed as prime minister by lawmakers again today after last week’s sweeping victory in elections.

Regional Gauges

South Korea’s Kospi index and Singapore’s Straits Times Index both gained 0.4 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 0.3 percent. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index rose 0.1 percent and Taiwan’s Taiex climbed 1 percent.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.1 percent, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland companies traded in the city slipped 1 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index dropped 3.1 percent.

The Shanghai Composite rallied 43 percent this year through yesterday amid speculation the central bank will cut lenders’ reserve-ratio requirements to support growth after lowering interest rates for the first time in two years last month.

“There’s profit taking after a recent rally,” Zhang Yanbing, an analyst at Zheshang Securities Co., said in Shanghai. “Financial stocks have risen a lot recently so they’re correcting now. News-wise, it’s very quiet.”

Trading closed early today in Sydney, Wellington, Hong Kong and Singapore. Markets in China and Japan are open tomorrow, with most of the rest of the region closed for Christmas holidays.