Asian Stocks Climb on Central Banks, Mergers; Westpac Rises Bloomberg news:

Asian Stocks Climb on Central Banks, Mergers; Westpac Rises

By Chua Kong Ho and Saeromi Shin

Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose for the first time in three days as central banks stepped up efforts to ease the credit crisis and on signs of a revival in mergers.

Westpac Banking Corp. gained 2.5 percent in Sydney after the U.S. Federal Reserve extended an emergency loan program and the Bank of Japan eased lending terms for banks. Qantas Airways Ltd. climbed 4.4 percent after confirming it was in talks to merge with British Airways Plc. GST Holdings Ltd., a Chinese fire-alarm maker, surged 35 percent in Hong Kong after a takeover bid. China Mobile Ltd. rose 2.5 percent on speculation the government may award third-generation licenses.