Asian Shares Higher;Tony Abbott;Malaysian Grand Prix

Asian markets ended the first quarter confidently Monday,with the MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.50%.Markets were encouraged by China Construction Bank's better than expected performance on wider lending margins,and consumer shares were strongest.The Nikkei average was up even though Japan's sales tax goes up for the first time in 17 years to 8.0% on Tuesday,and US stock futures followed the positive trend.*
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott visited RAAF Pearce in Perth Monday morning to thank the multinational troops searching for the lost flight MH-370 and address the media.It's been tremendous to see all of the cooperation here,Mr.Abbott said.It's really heartening,and it demostrates the nations of this area can come together for the betterment of humanity.
This is an extraordinarily difficult exercise and we are working on extremely limited information.The best minds and all of the technological mastery that we have is being brought to bear here.If this mystery is solvable,we will solve it.I'm certainly not putting a time limit on it.We owe it to everyone to do whatever we reasonably can.The intensity of our search and the magnitude of our operations in increasing,not decreasing.
We're working on the best available intelligence and the best available leads.We're as good as anyone in the world at it.I think morale is high.They're tired,sure;but this is what they're trained for;this is what they live for.I am getting several updates a day on this.My office is at least in hourly contact with those who are responsible for the search.
This is a major international incident and Australia has the lead responsibility for what happens in our search zone.We here will bear the cost of the coordination center under Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston.It's an act of international citizenship on Australia's part.We are happy to be as helpful as we can,Prime Minister Tony Abbott assured the media and military personnel at RAAF Pearce Base.
The search will be coordinated from the Western Australia Crisis Centre in Perth by retired Air Chief Marshall Allan Grant "Angus" Houston,former Chief of Defence.*
In motor sport,Petronas AMG Mercedes took the top two places at the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix near Kuala Lumpur on Sunday as drivers Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and German Nico Rosberg finished ahead of Infiniti Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel,the defending World Champion.This follows Rosberg's win at the season opener in Melbourne two weeks ago.Meanwhile,Australian Will Power won the first race of the season in the Indycar Series,the St.Petersburg Grand Prix in Florida,while American Ryan Hunter-Reay took second and Power's teammate Helio Castroneves of Brazil came in third.