* MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.2%, Nikkei gains 0.5%
* U.S. jobs report in focus after improvements in risk
sentiment
* Safe-haven government bonds, yen on the defensive
* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
By Shinichi Saoshiro
TOKYO, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Asian stocks tracked global peers
and rose on Friday while safe havens such as government bonds
and the yen were sold amid signs of easing U.S.-China trade
tensions and as firm U.S. economic data bolstered risk
appetites.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS added 0.2%, putting it on track for a 2% weekly
gain - which would make it the best week since mid-June..
Australian stocks .AXJO gained 0.5%, South Korea's KOSPI
.KS11 rose 0.3% and Japan's Nikkei .N225 advanced 0.6%.
Global equity markets welcomed news that the United States
and China agreed on Thursday to hold high-level talks early in
October, raising hopes for substantial progress in de-escalating
the long, bitter trade conflict between the two. Risk sentiment was further improved by upbeat U.S. data on
Thursday.
U.S. private payrolls increased in August at their fastest
pace in four months, according to ADP (NASDAQ:ADP). Separately the U.S.
services industry rebounded last month to its fastest expansion
since February, according to the Institute for Supply
Management's non-manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI).
"The strong U.S. data are the main part of the latest turn
in markets as they are key factors impacting equities and U.S.
yields, therefore determining how long this 'risk on' phase will
last," said Junichi Ishikawa, senior FX strategist at IG
Securities in Tokyo.
On Thursday, the Dow .DJI added 1.4%, the S&P 500 .SPX
climbed 1.3% and Nasdaq .IXIC rose 1.75%.
Ishikawa said Friday's U.S. August jobs report "will get
more attention than usual as it could add further fuel the
risk-on phase, which in turn would boost the dollar."
The non-farm payroll report is expected to show an increase
of 158,000 and the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.7%.
The dollar stood at 107.070 yen JPY= after climbing to a
one-month high of 107.235 overnight. The greenback has gained
about 0.7% against the Japanese currency this week as the
decrease in risk aversion reduced demand for the safe-haven yen.
The pound GBP=D3 hovered near a six-week peak of $1.2353
scaled the previous day on hopes that Britain could avoid
exiting the European Union without a deal.
The euro was steady at $1.1034 EUR= after rising 0.5%
overnight, when it was lifted by sterling's bounce.
The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies
.DXY was little changed at 98.420 after pulling back from a
one-week low of 98.085 the previous day on a rise by U.S.
Treasury yields.
U.S. Treasuries fell in price and their yields rebounded
from multi-year lows as investors moved out of safety assets
into equities. US/
The 10-year Treasury yield US10YT=RR was at 1.532%, having
risen from a three-year trough of 1.428% plumbed midweek on soft
economic data and Sino-U.S. trade worries.
Japan's 10-year government bond yield JP10YTN=JBTC climbed
2.5 basis points to minus 0.250%, putting some distance between
a three-year low of minus 0.295% set earlier this week.
Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 slipped 0.26% to $60.79 per
barrel, losing some traction after posting strong gains over the
past two sessions.
Brent had climbed to a one-month peak of $62.40 per barrel
on Thursday on a decline in U.S. crude inventories and tempered
trade war concerns.
(Editing by Richard Borsuk)