Asian Shares Head Higher After Better-Than-Expected US Jobless, Durable Goods Data

Asian stocks headed higher after the U.S. reported better-than-expected jobless and durable goods data and rising oil boosted Australian energy shares. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.6 percent at the open and Korea's KOSPI gained 0.5 percent. Australia's ASX 200 rose for the first time in three days, climbing more than 1 percent while New Zealand's NZX 50 is up 0.2 percent.

The U.S. reported last week's new jobless benefits claims fell more than expected to 260,000 last week, while October's durable goods orders, increased 1.3 percent, compared with the 0.4 percent economists expected. This contrasted with disappointing consumer spending and sentiment data. U.S. stock indexes rose slightly ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

"The news this morning was a little better than worse, so the market went up," Peter Costa, president of Empire Executions Inc. said, as Reuters reported.

Oil rose for a fourth day amid continuing tension over Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet on Tuesday, allegedly for ignoring warnings that it was violating Turkish airspace. Russia says the jet didn't violate Turkish airspace and wasn't given warning. The role of Turkey, a NATO member, in the incident has complicated France's efforts to forge a united front against the Islamic State group in Syria, where France is retaliating for the Nov. 13 Paris terrorist attacks and Russia is conducting its own missions.