TOKYO – Stocks in Asia nudged higher in early trade Monday, after shares in the U.S. rose last week on the back of strong jobs data.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index was up 1.1 percent, or 96.79 points, at 9211.82. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.4 percent, or 7.49 points, at 1787.39. Shares in Shanghai and Taiwan were higher, as were markets in New Zealand and Singapore.

Monday’s gains came after a strong performance across Asia and Europe on Friday, as concerns eased about the pace of recovery in the U.S.

Wall Street also put in a solid performance, after a government report on employment beat expectations and encouraged investors. Shares in the U.S. ended the week in the positive, the first time that has happened in a month.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 1.2 percent, or 127.83 points, to close at 10,447.93. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.3 percent, or 14.41 points, to 1,104.51.

Data from the U.S. Labor Department showed new jobs in August at private employers beat forecasts, though they were still below what economists say is a healthy level for the U.S. economy.

The early gains in September mark a stark turnaround from August trade, when shares fell on doubts about the global economic recovery.

In currencies, the dollar was nearly unchanged from late Friday at 84.36 yen versus 84.37 yen. The euro fell slightly, to $1.2878 from $1.2886.

LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks kicked off September on a stronger note on Wednesday as data showed a manufacturing rebound in China and stronger-than-expected growth in Australia, while the yen held near recent 15-year peaks against the dollar.

China’s manufacturing sector staged a moderate rebound in August after slowing for several months while Australia’s economy grew at the fastest pace in three years last quarter.

The strong readings from Asia helped offset concerns that the U.S. economy is slowing to an extent that would force the Federal Reserve to embark on a policy of unconventional easing.

“After what could be considered a washout August, September is starting with a flourish,” said Ben Potter, research analyst at IG Markets. The MSCI world equity index (.MIWD00000PUS) rose 0.3 percent, moving further away from a seven-week low hit last week. The benchmark index is still down nearly seven percent since January.

The Thomson Reuters global stock index (.TRXFLDGLPU) rose a third of a percent.

In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index (.FTEU3) gained 0.2 percent, led by mining shares such as Anglo American (AAL.L).

Emerging stocks (.MSCIEF) added 0.6 percent while U.S. crude oil rose 0.4 percent to $72.19 a barrel. German government bond futures fell 8 ticks.

DARKENING

The dollar (.DXY), which still tends to suffer when investors buy into more riskier assets and currencies, lost 0.4 percent against a basket of major currencies.

Conversely, bearishness about the U.S. economy itself is also weighing on the dollar, with minutes of the Fed’s Aug 10 meeting showing the central bank would consider additional easing steps if the outlook weakened “appreciably.”

The meeting was held against a darkening backdrop, and the Fed, in a significant policy shift, decided to reinvest maturing mortgage-related securities in government debt so its support for the stumbling recovery did not fade.

“We’ve seen a reprieve for risk from the data overnight but I’m of the opinion you sell rallies in riskier currencies.” said Kenneth Broux, markets strategist at Lloyds Banking Group.

“The market will keep buying safe havens such as the yen and the Swiss franc if U.S. data continues to disappoint.”

The yen rose 0.1 percent to 84.09 per dollar, around half a yen away from last week’s 15-year high of 83.58. The euro gained 0.3 percent to $1.2727.

(Additional reporting by Atul Prakash; editing by Patrick Graham)

LONDON (AFP) – European equities surged on Friday and the dollar jumped above 85 yen as financial markets welcomed a better-than-expected payrolls report in the United States.

The Frankfurt stock market leapt 1.17 percent, London bounced 1.13 percent higher and Paris added a hefty 1.72 percent after the upbeat news, which boosted investor appetite for risk.

In foreign exchange trade, the dollar rose to 85.17 yen from 84.30 yen in New York late on Thursday. The US unit meanwhile wobbled against the euro before pulling level.

And in opening trade, Wall Street’s Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied by 0.90 percent as US investors also cheered the data.

In an eagerly-awaited unemployment report, the US government’s Labor Department revealed on Friday that the American economy lost 54,000 jobs in August.

That was far better than market expectations for a larger loss of 120,000 jobs for last month.

The figures, which are seen as a crucial litmus test for the sputtering economic recovery and President Barack Obama’s policies, spurred European stock markets higher in afternoon deals.

The US unemployment rate meanwhile edged up to 9.6 percent in August, from 9.5 percent in July, showing the recovering economy was still struggling to create jobs.

“It is ‘risk-on Friday’ for the markets following the much better than expected non-farm payrolls numbers,” said Rajesh Patel, analyst at trading firm Spread Co. in London.

“From an almost comatose morning, traders sprung to life, sending indices shooting upwards.

“Those that were expecting a bearish jobs numbers got their fingers burnt,” he added.

“It has been a tremendous start to September for indices, with the Dow Jones and the FTSE 100 already up over 4.0 percent as the bulls make hay while the sun shines.”

However, VTB Capital economist Neil MacKinnon sounded a note of caution over the better-than-expected data.

“Although the US jobs report did not turn out to be a shocker, nevertheless the picture is one of a labour market still in recession,” he warned.

LONDON – Stocks pushed higher Friday after a relatively upbeat U.S. jobs report for August eased concerns about the pace of the economic recovery in the world’s largest economy.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed up 1.1 percent, at 5,428.15 while Germany’s DAX rose 0.8 percent to 6,134.62. The CAC-40 in France was 1.1 percent, higher at 3,672.2.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.7 percent at 10,388.90 in midday trading New York time, while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 0.8 percent, to 1,098.68.

Sentiment in the markets was buoyed by the news that the U.S. economy shed fewer jobs than anticipated during August and that private payrolls increased more than expected.

Though the Labor Department reported that 54,000 nonfarm payrolls were lost during August, that was much less than the 110,000 consensus in the markets and was mainly due to the axing of one-off census jobs. When government jobs are stripped out, employers added 67,000, double market expectations.

And big positive revisions to previous months’ data also helped shore up confidence that the U.S. economy is not in as bad a shape as many in the markets have been fearing. Much of the gloom in the markets during August was predicated on the fear that the U.S. economy would fall back into recession — the so-called double-dip.

“The reaction has been considerable, indicative of a market that has become too pessimistic on risks of a double dip,” said Alan Ruskin, an analyst at Deutsche Bank.

The market bulls seem to be in the ascendancy at the moment following three days of largely positive economic data from around the world — they certainly weren’t in the ascendancy in August, when stocks fell sharply as doubts about the strength of the global recovery grew.

“This week’s U.S. economic data has not upset the bulls so there is scope for further near-term gains in equities,” said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.

Despite the underlying improvement in sentiment, trading later though could well be complicated by the fact that the U.S. is about to enjoy a long weekend, with Labor Day — the traditional end of the summer lull on Wall Street — on Monday.

Worries about Hurricane Earl, which is heading up the Eastern Seaboard, could also prompt traders to head off earlier than they planned.

“Expect liquidity to drop off quickly at the end of the (U.S.) morning session, as New York heads home early for the holiday weekend and to prepare for the hurricane making its way up the coast,” said Michael Woolfolk, an analyst at Bank of New York Mellon.

In the currency markets, the jobs data supported the dollar, particularly against the yen. It was trading 0.2 percent higher at 84.42 yen.

Earlier in Asia, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rose 51.29 points, or 0.6 percent, to 9,114.13 and South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.2 percent to 1,780.02. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.5 percent to 20,971.50.

China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed flat at 2,655.39, though tech stocks surged on a government announcement of plans to support development of clean energy and other fields.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.2 percent to 4,541.20.

Benchmark oil for October delivery was down $1.52 cents at $73.50 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

____

AP Business Writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Wall Street closed a stellar week on Friday after recent economic data, including a stronger-than-expected labor market report, bolstered optimism that the economy would not fall back into recession.

The S&P 500 gained 3.8 percent for the week, its best in eight, setting the stage for a more bullish mood when markets re-open Tuesday after the long Labor Day weekend. U.S. Treasury debt yields have risen from levels reflecting expectations of another recession.

Stock sectors sensitive to economic swings like technology and banks led the week’s gains. On Friday, the S&P financial sector index (.GSPF) rose 2.2 percent, with Goldman Sachs (GS.N) up 5.4 percent at $147.29 and Janus Capital (JNS.N) up 6.6 percent at $10.12.

“Equity markets had priced in the non-trivial probability of a double dip, and what you’re seeing is that fear pricing is coming out,” said Mike Dueker, head of economics at Russell Investments in Tacoma, Washington.

U.S. payrolls fell for a third straight month in August, the Labor Department said, but the loss of 54,000 non-farm jobs was far less than the 100,000 expected by economists polled by Reuters, and private hiring surprised on the upside.

“Recovery will be slow, but at least reliable, and that should add some tailwinds (for stocks) the rest of the year,” Dueker said.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) shot up 127.83 points, or 1.24 percent, to 10,447.93, marking a move back into the black for the year. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) gained 14.41 points, or 1.32 percent, to 1,104.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) rose 33.74 points, or 1.53 percent, to 2,233.75.

The S&P 500 closed above 1,100 for the first time since August 10. Momentum measures, including the moving average convergence-divergence, indicate the benchmark is poised for more gains.

But the upward move faces strong resistance, with the 200-day moving average near 1,116. Chartists point to 1,130 as key resistance, tested in June and early August, with both failures opening the door to steep declines.

Stocks sold off sharply through August on concerns the U.S. economy could be headed for a double-dip recession. But a report that showed the manufacturing sector grew more than expected last month sparked a rally on Wednesday that lifted stocks to their best day in eight weeks.

In addition to the S&P 500’s sharp weekly percentage gain, the Dow rose 2.9 percent for the week and the Nasdaq advanced 3.7 percent.

Technology stocks outperformed the market this week. The PHLX semiconductor index (.SOX) has gained 6.9 percent in the past three days, its best such run since mid-June.

Video game maker Take-Two Interactive Inc (TTWO.O) jumped 7.3 percent to $9.50 a day after its quarterly profit smashed Wall Street’s expectations of a loss, and it raised its forecast.

On the downside, Campbell Soup Co (CPB.N) dropped 3 percent to $36.21 after posting lower-than-expected quarterly sales and forecasting growth below its long-term target as it grapples with a weak economy.

About 6.6 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, far below last year’s estimated daily average of 9.65 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a ratio of about 18 to 5, while on the Nasdaq, about 17 stocks rose for every five that fell.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Additional reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Jan Paschal)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks trimmed gains on Friday after data showed the non-manufacturing sector grew at a slower pace than expected in August.

* The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) rose 106.00 points, or 1.03 percent, to 10,426.10. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 12.17 points, or 1.12 percent, to 1,102.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) climbed 29.71 points, or 1.35 percent, to 2,229.72.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

TOKYO – Most Asian stock markets climbed Friday as investors took heart from a slight improvement in U.S. economic indicators amid lingering worries over the pace of the global economic recovery.

But gains were modest across the region as investors took a wait-and-see stance ahead of closely-watched U.S. employment figures due out Friday. The jobless rate for August is expected to rise to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Reuters.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rose 26.15 points, or 0.3 percent, to 9,088.99 and South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.2 percent to 1,777.58. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained less than 0.1 percent to 4,533.50.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.1 percent to 20,882.14. Markets in New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan also advanced. But the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.9 percent to 2,633.34.

In New York on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average added 50.63 points, or 0.5 percent, to 10,320.10.

Sentiment on Wall Street turned upbeat after the National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the number of buyers who signed contracts to purchase homes rose 5.2 percent in July after hitting a record low in June.

A fall in new claims for U.S. unemployment aid last week also helped lift sentiment. The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of American people requesting jobless benefits fell by 6,000 the previous week to a seasonally adjusted 472,000.

The four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure, also fell by 2,500 to 485,500, the first drop after four straight increases. But even with the declines, U.S. jobless claims are still at much higher levels than they would be in a healthy economy.

When economic output is growing rapidly and employers are hiring, such claims generally drop below 400,000.

In currencies, the dollar fell to 84.18 yen in Tokyo from 84.26 yen in New York late Thursday. The euro slipped to $1.2819 from $1.2820.

Benchmark oil for October delivery was down 34 cents at $74.67 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.11 to settle at $75.02 a barrel on Thursday.

TOKYO – Most Asian stock markets climbed Friday as investors took heart from improving U.S. housing and jobs data amid lingering worries over the pace of the global economic recovery.

But gains were modest across the region as investors took a wait-and-see stance ahead of closely-watched U.S. employment data due out Friday. The jobless rate for August is expected to rise to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July, according to Thomson Reuters.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rose 34.79 points, or 0.4 percent, to 9,097.63 in the morning session. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.3 percent to 1,780.83. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.2 percent at 4,573.40.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.2 percent to 20,918.81. Markets in New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan all advanced in early trading.

But the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.1 percent to 2,652.14. Stocks in Malaysia also declined.

In New York on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average added 50.63 points, or 0.5 percent, to 10,320.10.

Sentiment on Wall Street turned upbeat after the National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the number of buyers who signed contracts to purchase homes rose 5.2 percent in July after hitting a record low in June.

A fall in new claims for U.S. unemployment aid last week also helped lift sentiment. The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of American people requesting jobless benefits fell by 6,000 the previous week to a seasonally adjusted 472,000.

The four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure, also fell by 2,500 to 485,500, the first drop after four straight increases. But even with the declines, U.S. jobless claims are still at much higher levels than they would be in a healthy economy.

When economic output is growing rapidly and employers are hiring, such claims generally drop below 400,000.

In currencies, the dollar rose to 84.38 yen in Tokyo Friday from 84.28 yen in New York late Thursday. The euro slipped to $1.2821 from $1.2828.

Benchmark oil for October delivery rose $1.11 to settle at $75.02 a barrel Thursday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices dropped as low as $73.11 earlier in the session.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P 500 and Nasdaq advanced on Thursday, building on their best day in eight weeks in the previous session as data showed an improvement in pending home sales and a drop in initial jobless claims.

The National Association of Realtors said pending sales of previously owned homes rose unexpectedly in July while initial jobless claims fell for a second straight week, though they remained at historically elevated levels.

Home Depot Inc (HD.N) was the Dow’s top percentage gainer, climbing 1.9 percent to $29.22.

“The housing market continues to be very challenging, but at least it appears to be stabilizing,” said Lawrence Glazer, managing partner at Mayflower Advisors in Boston. “I think a lot of people are going to think they’ve been too pessimistic.”

The housing and labor markets have long been considered two of the biggest headwinds facing the recovery, and the data comes a day ahead of a monthly employment report expected to confirm that jobs were lost in August.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was down 2.50 points, or 0.02 percent, at 10,266.97. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 3.50 points, or 0.32 percent, at 1,083.79. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 9.84 points, or 0.45 percent, at 2,186.68.

In an encouraging sign for the consumer, U.S. retailers posted better-than-expected sales in August as consumers sought bargains during the key back-to-school season.

“Today’s data is positive, but given the high level of unemployment, it’s hard to be too optimistic about the consumer,” said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial in Westport, Connecticut.

The Morgan Stanley Retail index (.MVR) rose 1.6 percent while the S&P retail index (.RLX) added 1.6 percent. Apparel retailer Gap Inc (GPS.N) advanced 1.6 percent to $17.49, though teen-oriented retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co (ANF.N) sank 5.2 percent to $34.67.

On the merger front, Burger King Holdings Inc (BKC.N) agreed to sell itself to investment firm 3G Capital for about $3.26 billion, pushing the stock up 24.3 percent to $23.44.

In the end to an extended bidding war, Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) raised its buyout offer for data storage company 3PAR Inc (PAR.N) to $33 a share, topping an earlier bid from Dell Inc (DELL.O). The higher bid prompted Dell to bow out.

Shares of 3PAR rose 2.4 percent to $32.84 while Dell gained 2.2 percent to $12.38.

HP, a Dow component, rose 0.5 percent to $39.39.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Jan Paschal)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday after data showed first-time claims for jobless benefits fell last week.

S&P 500 futures added 1.2 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 9 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 3.5 points.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)