Asian investors welcomed Joe Biden’s economy-boosting infrastructure proposals on Thursday, sending regional markets higher, while optimism was also given a boost by a healthy US private jobs report. The US president said his much-anticipated new package will see a “once-in-a-generation” investment of more than $2 trillion (€1.7tr) in transportation, telecoms and energy infrastructure while creating millions of jobs. And while he warned his eight-year plan, which comes just months after the passage of a $1.9 trillion stimulus, will be paid for by higher taxes for corporations, analysts said markets likely considered that a concern for later this year or next. The plan was broadly welcomed on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 ticked up and the Nasdaq rallied more than one per cent, though the Dow inched down. And Asian investors were in a good mood, with many preparing to wind down for the end of an Easter-shortened week. Tokyo’s gains were helped by a survey showing Japan’s major manufacturers were feeling the most optimistic since September 2019, well before the pandemic began. Three months ago, the Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan business survey was at -10, compared with -34 in...