Asian equity markets enjoyed their strongest week since May as reassuring results from the US banking sector and evidence of rebounding growth in China boosted sentiment.

The Shanghai Composite index closed at its highest level for 13 months having climbed 2.4 per cent over the five-day period to end at 3,189.74 – taking its rise so far this year to 75 per cent. Turnover reached a two-year high on Thursday.