SYDNEY, NSW, Australia - Stocks on Asian markets opened the week solidly higher.

China's Shanghai Composite led the way, jumping 66.93 points or 1.97 percent to 3,464.29.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 497.43 points or 1.82 percent to 27,781.02.

The Australian All Ordinaries gained 96.30 points or 1.26 percent to 2,760.50.

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong closed 274.77 points or 1.06 percent higher at 26,235.80.

On foreign exchange markets, the U.S. dollar was little changed. The euro was changing hands at 1.1885 around the Sydney close Monday. The British pound was well bid at 1.3925. The Japanese yen was steady at 109.72. The Swiss franc was little changed at 0.9053.

The Canadian dollar was unmoved at 1.2461. The Australian dollar traded in a tight range around 0.7356.