Asia stocks touch 29-month top, China blue chips at 5-year high

Chinese blue chips firmed 0.7% to reach levels not seen since mid-2015, while the yuan hit its highest on the dollar in more than a year. Pic of Shanghai Stock Exchange.

SYDNEY: Asian shares notched a 29-month high on Monday as investors wagered global central banks would keep topping up the policy punchbowl for years to come, while an upbeat reading on China's service sector augured well for recovery there.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.2% to reach its highest since March 2018, bringing gains for the month so far to 5.1%.