Among the milestones were a 15-year peak for Japan, seven years for both China and Taiwan and a near four-year top for South Korea. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.5 percent to reach ground last trod in early 2008. The gains came despite a dip in the HSBC China manufacturing PMI to a one-year trough of 49.2 in April, when the consensus had been for it to hold steady at 49.6. Neither was the news bright from Japan where the Markit/JMMA flash PMI fell to 49.7 in April from a final 50.3 in March.