Asian markets end mostly higher on Tuesday

Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Tuesday after crude prices rebounded on news of a sharp drop in output in Kuwait due to an oil worker strike following the government's move to cut wages. Chinese shares ended higher after the People's Bank of China reportedly pumped 162.5 billion yuan into 18 financial institutions in open market operations via medium-term lending facility (MLF). Japanese shares retraced the previous day's steep losses as investors speculated the central bank will boost stimulus to combat the economic fallout from Thursday's earthquake in Kumamoto and subsequent aftershocks in southwestern Japan.