Asia stocks rose on Thursday, racking up a 68 percent gain for the year, as a jump in US consumer confidence reinforced views that the world's largest economy is gradually recovering.
The dollar slipped from near 16-week highs against the yen, while oil looked set to post its strongest year in a decade as markets snapped back from one of the worst financial crises in generations.
Major European share markets were set to open slightly higher, according to financial spreadbetters, while US equity futures were flat.
Equities and commodities are expected to build on this year's gains in 2010 unless the global recovery fizzles out, but market watchers are uncertain whether the dollar's rebound this month is temporary or the start of a longer-term upturn.
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks traded outside Japan rose 1 per cent in thin trade, taking its gains for the year to
near 70 per cent. That marks its best performance since 1993 and far outpaces expected gains of just over 20 per cent in US and European equities.