Asia Pacific shares ended Friday broadly higher although off their highs and the FTSE Asia Pacific index was set to show its best week since August 2007 amid growing confidence in the US plan to cleanse the banking system of $1,000bn of toxic assets.

The FTSE Asia Pacific index was 0.2 per cent higher at 160.83 by late afternoon in Hong Kong – a gain of more than 7 per cent over the week.