Asian markets end higher on job data

Oil prices hovered below $99 a barrel in Asia amid signs of a strengthening U.S. economy. In currencies, the dollar was higher against the euro but dropped against the yen.Japans Nikkei 225 gained 1 percent to 10,170.34 and Chinas Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.35 percent to 2,803.94. South Koreas Kospi index was mostly unchanged at 2,179.39. Hong Kongs Hang Seng index rose 1.1 percent to 22,784.40.The gains came after private payrolls firm ADP reported US companies added more jobs in June than expected and weekly jobless claims were below forecasts. That helped to ease fears about the monthly US Labour Department employment report due out Friday, which is seen as the most reliable gauge of job creation.Traders were cautious as they watched for the official US data, said market strategist Ben Potter at IG Markets in Melbourne.Theres been a big rally in markets over the last 10 days, he said. A fair bit of good news has been priced in already, so a few people could be looking to take some profits ahead of tonights data.