Most key Asian markets largely gained ground, today, on the prospects of further policy stimulus in China and Europe. So China's Shanghai Composite index spurted 1.9 percent; Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 2 percent; and South Korea's KOSPI advanced 0.7 percent. But Singapore's Straits Times index declined 0.1 percent. The Japanese market was closed for a holiday.In Europe, the UK's FTSE-100 was flat, Germany's DAX had gained 0.7 percent, and France's CAC-40 had climbed 0.9 percent in intra-day trade. In economic news, German business confidence improved unexpectedly in November, industry data showed today. The German research institute, Ifo said its Business Climate Index rose to 104.7 in November, from 103.2 in October. The Business Expectations Index, which measures attitudes toward business prospects over the next six months, improved to 99.7 in November, from 98.3 in October.