Asian shares rose on Monday as surprisingly robust US jobs data bolstered investor risk appetite, overshadowing worries about a lack of progress in Greek debt restructuring talks that are vital to containing the euro zone crisis.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.3 per cent after climbing as much as 0.7 per cent earlier to its highest in more than five months. The index recorded a fifth successive weekly gain last week.
Japan's Nikkei average rose to a three-month high just shy of 9,000 and was last up 1.1 per cent at 8,925.
Global economies showed further evidence of resilience last month, with US job creation far exceeding expectations while services sector activity accelerated surprisingly to its highest in nearly a year. The euro zone's private sector economy expanded in January for the first time since August, easing fears of a recession.
But Greece remained a drag as a number of major conditions demanded by the "Troika," representing Greece's European Union, European Central Bank and IMF lenders, were still outstanding. Athens must tell the EU by Monday whether they accept the stern terms of a new bailout deal. Without the deal, Athens would head for a disorderly default.
