Asian stocks surged on Friday, driven by China's economic stimulus measures and Japan's leadership transition to Shigeru Ishiba as prime minister. The Nikkei 225 index rose over 2.3% following Ishiba's selection, while the Hang Seng and Shanghai Composite indices also saw significant gains of 2.4% and 2.7%, respectively. China's central bank's decision to cut reserve requirements for banks aims to support the struggling property sector and overall financial markets, although industrial profits fell nearly 18% year-on-year in August, highlighting ongoing economic challenges. In Europe, shares rose modestly, with France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX benefiting from a decline in inflation rates. The UK FTSE 100 also gained as mining stocks rallied on optimism from China's fiscal pledges, despite declines in oil-related stocks due to falling crude prices. Investors remain cautious about the effectiveness of these measures in driving sustainable growth amid concerns about a potential slowdown in hiring in the U.S.