1. In today’s market report… Asian shares were by and large higher, spurred on by earnings optimism and commodity price gains.

2. Gold hit a new record peak and is now up 22 percent this year alone. Oil reached a high price for the year, topping $75.

3. Resource firms like Rio Tinto boosted the Australian benchmark to a one-year high, while energy-linked companies around Asia climbed higher.

4. South Korean steel giant POSCO rose ahead of quarterly results, helped by lower raw material prices and a pickup in demand.

5. and Oil-linked PetroChina and CNOOC gained in Hong Kong, while Shanghai's benchmark share index rose to its highest level in nearly a month.