World Markets Up Modestly Despite US Jobs Cheer

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average rose 99.05 points, or 1 percent, to an eight-month high of 9,768.01 while Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng closed up 1 percent to 18,679.53 in seesaw trade.

South Korea's Kospi took back its losses to add 1.2 percent to 1,394.71 but Shanghai's benchmark edged down 0.5 percent. In Australia, the main index advanced 0.9 percent.

Oil prices rose above $70 a barrel level, then eased, trading up 7 cents on the day at $68.88 a barrel. On Thursday the contract shot up $2.69.

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AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.