MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up about 0.5 percent, ignoring modest overnight losses on Wall Street. Australian shares rose on growing expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia will announce its second rate cut of 2015 when it meets on Tuesday, the first trading day after markets close for the Easter weekend. Debt markets imply a 77 percent chance of a quarter-point easing. Japan's Nikkei stock average was up 1.3 percent, after skidding to a three-week low in the previous session.
TOKYO: Asian shares rose on Thursday, shrugging off weak U.S. data overnight that raised concerns ahead of Friday's key employment figures, as investors covered positions ahead of the Easter holidays.
Most U.S. markets will be closed on Friday, with some European markets closed Friday through Monday and reopening on Tuesday.
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