Asian markets trade firm

Asian markets were trading higher in the morning session led by gains in retail and energy shares following stronger employment data from the US.

Investors flocked into riskier assets on improved investor sentiment after reports that there was an increase in private sector employment. There are expectations that US may also report an upbeat nonfarm payrolls data on Friday.

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average climbed 1%, the Shanghai Composite index was flat ahead of inflation data which will be out on Saturday and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was trading firm, up 1.1%.