Asia-Pacific markets up

Asia-Pacific markets closed higher on Friday, tracking gains on Wall Street after new labor market data boosted investor confidence in the US economy and eased recession concerns following a sharp market sell-off earlier in the week, reports CNBC.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.25 per cent to close at 7,777.7. Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.56 per cent to close at 35,025, while the broad-based Topix traded 0.88 per cent higher to end at 2,483.3.

South Korea's Kospi gained 1.24 per cent to close at 2,588.43, while the small-cap Kosdaq jumped 2.57 per cent to close at 764.43.

Hong Kong Hang Seng index rose 1.42 per cent. Mainland China's CSI 300 slid 0.34 per cent to close at 3,331.63.

Earlier this week, global equities and currencies plunged after US employment data renewed recession fears and investors started to unwind their yen "carry trades."