Most Asian stocks were higher on Thursday as the broader tech sector rose tracking Wall Street gains, though escalating U.S.-China trade tensions tempered overall optimism.

Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday with Chinese stocks falling on escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, while investors assessed stronger-than-expected inflation prints from South Korea and the Philippines.

Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday after volatile trading in the previous session as investors shrugged off the impact of China's tariffs on U.S. energy imports though President Donald Trump's renewed push to eliminate Iranian crude exports provided some support.

New orders for U.S.-manufactured goods dropped in December, pulled down by a decline in bookings for civilian aircraft, but demand elsewhere was marginally firm.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is in no hurry to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to defuse a new trade war between the world's two largest economies sparked by his sweeping 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports.