Asian stocks advanced for a third day, with the regional benchmark index rising to a five-year high, as China's exports topped estimates and companies including HSBC Holdings Plc posted earnings that cheered investors.

Nikkei 225 14,285.69 +105.45 +0.74%

S&P/ASX 200 5,199.8 +56.07 +1.09%

Shanghai Composite 2,243.67 +8.09 +0.36%

Komatsu Ltd., the world's second-biggest maker of construction and mining equipment, advanced 4.4 percent in Tokyo, leading industrial companies higher.

HSBC Holdings gained 1.5 percent in Hong Kong after the lender beat analysts' estimates for profit.

Toshiba Corp., the No. 2 maker of flash- memory, slumped 5 percent in Tokyo before it reported after the market closed that profit missed its forecast.