 "(Photo: Reuters)")
Asian stocks edged up on Friday and the dollar bounced from recent lows as upbeat data on US manufacturing and employment and buoyant European factory growth boosted investor optimism.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan ticked up 0.1%, while Japan's Nikkei gained 1% to top the psychologically important 20,000-point level for the first time since August 2015.
"Market sentiment is very good. The strength in Wall Street shares will be a tailwind for the Nikkei as well," said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management.
MSCI ACWI, an index of 46 stock markets
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan ticked up 0.1%, while Japan's Nikkei gained 1% to top the psychologically important 20,000-point level for the first time since August 2015.
"Market sentiment is very good. The strength in Wall Street shares will be a tailwind for the Nikkei as well," said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management.
MSCI ACWI, an index of 46 stock markets
