TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.6 percent on Friday for a third day of gains as more encouraging data reassured investors about the health of the global economic recovery and sparked short-covering.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Gold prices were steady on Thursday, with buyers cautious on the physical market, as investors wait for key U.S. job data due later in the day for further clues on health of the economy.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on low volume on Thursday as data showed improvement in housing and the job market a day ahead of the critical monthly payrolls figures.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks and oil rose while U.S. Treasuries fell on Thursday as U.S. data showed the world's largest economy did not appear to be falling back into recession.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against major currencies on Thursday as better-than-expected U.S. data on housing and jobless claims boosted risk appetite, though investors remained cautious ahead of a key U.S. jobs report.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose for a second day on Thursday as Hurricane Earl threatened U.S. East Coast refineries and an explosion hit an offshore oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank extended its liquidity safety net for vulnerable euro zone banks into next year, delaying its exit from crisis measures for now as it urged caution about the economic recovery.

PARIS (Reuters) - European stocks ended mostly flat on Thursday, as investors took a breather after the previous session's jump while recently-hit construction stocks extended their recovery, aided by a batch of positive U.S. data.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top share index closed a touch higher on Thursday after a lackluster day of trading following a powerful advance the day before, with investors keeping their powder dry ahead of U.S. jobs data on Friday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices fell for a second consecutive day on Thursday as investors took profits from a recent hefty bond rally and set up for August employment data to be released in the next session.