Japan, Australia Stocks Rise As US Shares Pare 3.7% Slump

UPDATE: 8:57 p.m. EST -- More Asian stock markets gained Thursday, with Singapore reversing a loss to join Japan and Australia shares in climbing after U.S. stocks halved their losses.

Japan's Nikkei 225 increased its gains to 1.2 percent while  Australia's ASX 200 climbed 0.9 percent and South Korea's KOSPI Index rose 0.4 percent. Singapore's STI rose 0.7 percent after slumping as much as 3 percent earlier in the day. The Shanghai Composite was down 1.1 percent and Malaysia's KLCI declined 0.6 percent.