Asian stocks rose for the first time in three days after better-than-estimated U.S. data bolstered the outlook for the world's largest economy and concern over China's cash crunch eased.

Nikkei 225 12,834.01 -135.33 -1.04%

Hang Seng 20,194.33 +338.61 +1.71%

S&P/ASX 200 4,731.7 +75.74 +1.63%

Shanghai Composite 1,950.49 -9.02 -0.46%

James Hardie Industries SE, a supplier of building materials that gets about 70 percent of sales from the U.S., climbed 4.6 percent in Sydney.

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., the world's biggest lender, jumped 4.6 percent in Hong Kong after the nation's central bank injected liquidity to stabilize money-market rates.

Woori Finance Holdings Co. gained 5.4 percent in Seoul after the government announced plans to separate the nation's largest financial group by assets into